Shotashota Love!
by ayumi9696
Summary: Len, the shota has finally confessed to Rin, and they're going out, and WHAT! *Read more to find out*
1. The Worst News After A Confession

**I've actually been planning this since my birthday. There are 9 updates and now, 6 stories, in correspondence to my birthday: 9/6/96 6:09 p.m. Please enjoy and review.**

**Disclaimer: You-dont-own-Vocaloid-you-don't-own-Vocaloid-you-don't-own-Vocaloid.**

**Ayumi: To hell with that restraining order, I'M GETTING MY ROADROLLER!**

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><p><strong>Rin<strong>

"Senpai, please go out with me!" I stared at him in disbelief, causing his cheeks to redden. Now, most girls, _normal _girls might have fainted or cried or they might burble out some sappy garbage, but me? I just stood there, completely unmoved and said, "Are you serious?"

"W-well, senpai, I've always liked you-" he began but I gave a stop signal. "Len, first off, stop calling me senpai. We're in the same class." "Oh yeah!" I didn't think it was possible but he became even redder until he practically resembled a tomato.

Let me explain the situation to you. For those who do not understand why I'm not automatically accepting the confession of the school's supreme shota, it's simple. I'm busy wondering, _why me_?

Hello, have you seen this guy's fanclub? There are at least 300 members in the school alone and most of them are, how do I put this, _mature._ Gorgeous, tall goddesses with actual figures and huge busts.

I'm slightly shorter than average, so plain it should be a crime, flat as a board and no curves to boast of. My hair's a nice shade of blonde but it's too short and my eyes are blue, like Len's, minus the purity. Honestly, I don't have anything special.

Hell, the only logical reason he likes me (if he's serious) is because I wear a bow in my hair. Yes, folks, a big, white, fricking bow. I'm not sure why I still wear it. Maybe because Iroha tells me it makes me look like a manga character, but back to the point.

"I know I'm not good enough, Hatsune-san, but-" "Len, I didn't say that..." "But I'll try my best! So, what's your answer?"

I'm sorry but I couldn't help thinking how many confessing rules Len was breaking. I mean, in shoujo, doesn't the guy usually give the girl time to think? And bring a gift? He suddenly blabs out he likes me in the middle of lunch with no preparation whatsoever. It seems rather suspicious...

Unfortunately, I didn't have any time to ponder since he was using the deadliest trick man has ever created. The puppy-dog face.

I sighed, knowing one way or another I'll give in. "Sure, why not?" He looked up, eyes shining. "Really?" "Well, I don't see anything wrong with it." "O-OK, Hatsune-san. How about after school? I'm going karaoking with some friends." "Alright, sounds good."

He looked really excited. He talked very quickly and he keept fidgeting, like he couldn't contain himself. It took all my self-restraint to stop myself from hugging him and screaming, "WHY THE DAMN ARE YOU SO FRICKING KAWAII?

"See you after school, Hatsune-san!" "Wait!" He turned. I gulped, but I just had to tell him anyway. "You can call me Rin, you know."

~.~

"Len, Rin! L-E-N!" Iroha kept shrieking into my ear. At this rate, I'm going to need some serious surgery.

But I can understand her excitement. Before the last bell had rung, people who have never cared for my existence before stopped, stared and started whispering as I passed. The extra attention makes me squirm. On the bright side, however, I'm going out with KAGAMINE LEN!

I know, I know, I didn't seem excited but I was. Am. Whatever.

Moving on, Len is the most adorable, most innocent, most shota-like shota to end all shotas to ever exist in the entire Universe! Those golden, spiky locks that frame his heart shaped face, along with those beautiful innocent sapphires. His perfect, porcelain skin that most girls would kill for and those perfect strawberry lips...

This is so sick. I've never even walked next to him and I'm already fantasizing about making out with him. I'm so perverted.

"Iroha, I don't get why you're so hyper. We're just gonna karaoke for awhile and he'll take me home. We're not even alone, his friends are coming along." "But, Rin, how many girls has the Kagamine Len asked out before this?" "None I can recall of."

"Exactly!" she concluded with a triumphant smile. "Naturally, you have to be the perfect girlfriend! Rin, you're an otaku-" "Not your level-" "I know, but you know the tricks that so many shojo artists use. Make use of your knowledge! Create the awkward-situation-which-leads to-romantic-feelings! Bring to life the great works of Japanese animaton! DO IT, RIN!"

Her face was really close and when Iroha is in otaku mode, it's best to just go along. I nodded slowly and she turned, satisfied before continuing out the gate. "Wait-" "Look who's behind me."

I nearly didn't spot him, seeing as how he's being surrounded by half a dozen fangirls who were busy trying to tag along on our date. Did I just say that?

"Len-kun, we wanna come too." "No fair, Hatsune gets all the fun." "Pretty pleae, Len-kun." On and on they went. I was expecting Len to be the softie he was and just say yes but he was firm. "I want to be with just Hatsune-san today, if you don't mind."

My jaw dropped. Could he get any sweeter? I mean, no one's ever said something like that about me before, not once...

"Aww, Len-kun," they went and began tugging on his clothes. It was about time I stepped in anyway. "Hey, Len!" They all turned. "Hatsune-san!" Len exclaimed, looking genuinely pleased to see me. "See you girls!"

The vultures weren't giving up their meat so easily. They ignored him and continued whining while shooting daggers in my direction. These girls did not know who they were messing with.

"If Len wants to go, let him go. Or should I use other methods of dealing with you?" My tone was layered with ice and I had my best death glare on. They froze and quickly fled, shouting goodbyes at Len with a few added curses for me.

"Let's go, Len," I said and pulled him to the zebra crossing. "Hatsune-san-" "I told you to call me Rin, didn't I?" His expression made me think he may have doubted me, just like how I had felt about him. I took a deep breath and made a resolution. "If you're going to be serious about this, I'm going to be serious about this."

"Oh, oh, th-thanks." He really was so cute! Then, the light turned green, ruining the perfect moment because people began shoving us in their rush to get to the other side.

"Something wrong?" "Oh, nothing," I lied as he pulled me across the road. Oh, now I know why he had panicked. We were holding hands.

OK, it was completely selfish and completely mean but I squeezed his hand gently, just to see his reaction. (Hey, blushing shotas are the pinnacle of an otaku's life! Live with it!) He was rather startled, I knew and probably super-embarrassed, but he never let go.

~.~

It was unexpectedly, fun. Len introduced me to his friends, though I'm not quite clear on how they all became acquainted. Some elite club and special society classes, according to Len. He didn't seem to want to explain so I didn't bug him about it.

There were three guys and two girls. The guys were Kaito, a tall, blue-haired ice-cream addict with matching deep blue eyes; Hakuo, around our age with blood-red eyes and pure white hair; and Leon, his hair wheat-coloured, his eyes emerald green and Kaito's best friend. Gumi had short, bright green hair, her eyes the exact same shade as well, while Teto had dark pink curly pigtails and pink eyes.

They were all pretty good singers and the machine gave each plenty of high scores. I don't want to brag but my scores were, a lot better than I expected.

The golden rule with this group when it came to karaoke was that they picked the songs and no matter how bad, you had to sing the. Guess what Eternal Blaze, Secret Ambition and Innocent Starter all have in common? They're all theme songs for Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, an anime which Kaito was apparently a dedicated fan of. I didn't protest though. The songs were nice and I miraculously pulled them off.

Len sang the most. His list kept piling up with plenty of random stuff everyone contributed to (myself included) but I guess the funniest part was when Gumi made him try SPICE. A shota singing about sex. Priceless.

The karaoke bar had a decent buffet so we snacked as we sang. Time prefers using a Concorde when you're having fun, because when I took a quick glance at my watch it was almost 11. Miku wanted me home by 8:30.

Being the gentleman he was, Len offered to send me home, via subway. I insisted, even if his driver could do it.

"Sorry if you felt uncomfortable, Rin. My friends are a little, different." "No, no," I shook my head. "I had fun. We should do it again sometime." "What? Do you mean-" "I don't mind another date, Len." "You don't have to be nice-" "I mean it."

I stopped and stood in front of him. "I really enjoyed it and I think I like hanging out with you." On cue, he turned scarlet. "Oh, er, th-thanks, Hatsu, I mean, Rin," he said, stumbling over his words. I giggled. "Well, this is my place."

"Oh, is that why you stopped?" "Pretty much," I shrugged. I've never realized it before but he's actually my height. I look at him, the most wanted shota in the world. He's so close, right in front of me, I could just kiss him- "RIN!"

We both spun around. Miku's not as angry as I expected her to be. She looks more, relieved.

In a heartbeat, she was out the door and crushing me into a 'sisterly' hug. "Rin, I'm so glad you're home. And you even brought , Len?" She paused. "How did you know?"

"What are you talking about, Miku?" I said, pushing her away. I felt confused. "How do you know Len, anyway?"

At first, she didn't respond but just stood there, frozen. I still wish she hadn't spoken that night, because her next sentence rocked the very foundation of my reality. "Rin, Len is your twin brother."

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><p><strong>My first twincest. What do you guys think? Seriously review. It makes me write this stuff faster<strong>.


	2. Let's Try To Live With It

**6 reviews already? I feel honored. *Bows as low as possible* Thank you very much for all your support! I just hope this is OK.**

**Disclaimer: She has confidence issues so she's crying right now and telling herself she's a bad author. Now, I'm gonna tell you she _doesn't_ own Vocaloid. Why  
>can't she cry over that, for once?<strong>

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><p><strong>Rin<strong>

Why is it every time you think something good's about to happen, fate messes it all up? Is it a crime to want the hottest shota ever as your boyfriend (OK, maybe with my imagination, it is) but _still. _

'WHAT WAS MY FRICKING SIN GOD?' I screamed in my head. 'WHAT DID I DO UNTIL YOU KEEP TAKING EVERYTHING FROM ME-' "Rin-chan?"

I stopped, momentarily stirred from my rage. I was panting and there were tears in my eyes. The remains of the metal-framed, king-sized bed in the guest room were in plain sight but Miku held herself together, although she was trembling slightly.

"What is it, Miku?" She flinched and even I was surprised at the coldness of my tone. "M-mama Hatsune's on the phone. She w-wants to speak t-to you," she stuttered before scurrying out.

I sighed and massaged my hands. They weren't injured, no matter what I hit, they never were.

My heart thumped in my chest as I made my way to the phone in the hallway. Before I met Mama Hatsune, fear was something of a myth to me. No, it wasn't fear, it was respect.

I longed for her approval, her consent. Whenever Mama Hatsune was around, I was careful to not upset her. She didn't have to shout or raise her hand. It took one look and I was at her feet.

What would her reaction be, to my incestous relationship? Even though I knew I was not at fault, I could never bring myself to go against her. The thought of her disapproving of me made me cringe inside.

I put the phone to my ear. With full knowledge that if she wanted me to break Len's heart, I would have done it on the spot, I said, "Hello, Mama Hatsune.' and quietly listened to what she had to say.

~.~

**Len**

I woke up around 5 a.m. after a completely sleepless night. I was still half asleep so I was a bit puzzled as to why my bed was in a different position, had two closets and smelt strongly of oranges. Then, it hit me.

I looked to my left. Rin was cuddling a large orange plushie, her back to me. I sighed, remembering the details of the previous night.

My parents had gone on vacation before but I had a feeling this time, there was a more serious reason for their sudden departure. The business hadn't been doing all that well lately and it was possible they decided to start anew at some Caribbean island.

What a surprise that Hatsune Lilith, the General Manager just happened to be Rin's foster mother and could have me without too many legal headaches. Yeah, real surprising.

I wondered what Rin would say if she knew how dark I could be, rather than my usual shota self. No, I didn't pretend or anything to be something I wasn't, it just came to me.

It often feels like a multiple personality disease, only I knew about the other 'me' and had full control over myself. I was both and one. It is confusing, even I don't know how it happened.

At school, I was a 'shota' as I've been dubbed. At home, I was the heir to an empire. I didn't need to remind myself who I was. I was me, only with different sides.

Most people wouldn't understand because I certainly don't, but some have come to accept me as I am. As Gumi would say, if weirdness were carrots, I got the Grocer's Discount on my order.

"Mmm," Rin muttered in her sleep, breaking my train of thought. I put a hand on her cheek and softly whispered, "Am I just your twin?"

It's what she told me yesterday when she announced we were sharing beds. "We're twins. It's OK." That and something about the bed in the guest room being wrecked for some reason or other.

According to our birth certificates, I was born first. I'm the Nii-chan, the one who protects the Imouto. But who will I protect Rin as? My little sister or, my first love?

~.~

"Ne, Len, are you OK?" Rin asked while we walked to school together. I nodded, wondering what had moved me to go in the first place.

^_^;

_Flashback_

"Mama said it's fine if you two don't want to got to school today," Mikunee-san had informed us cheerily while serving our breakfasts. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Rin suddenly said, "No, I'm afrid we can't, Miku."

Mikunee-san and I stared at Rin in shock, prompting a simple and logical explanation from her. "If the both of us don't show up at school all of a sudden, it would be extremely suspicious. Especially considering the fact we went out together yesterday, your fan club might decide to take matters into their own hands."

"What's wrong with that?" the tealette asked, obviously confused as realization dawned upon me. Rin met my gaze, hers dead serious.

"They'll find out about us," I whispered quietly. Rin nodded. "Even if they don't, which I'm pretty sure they will at some point, they would blow the whole thing out of proportion. The results would be disastrous," she concluded grimly.

"Either way, we have to go to school. Come on, Len," she said and stood up. "Miku, call me if anything happens." This was followed by the sound of the front door closing and my hurried footsteps as I ran to catch up with her.

^_^;

So that's what happened. Wow, Rin's good. No wonder so many people are intimidated by her. The school's Arctic Wolf; cool, calculated and precise in her strikes.

"Can we eat lunch together, Len?" Her question caught me off guard but Rin took it as confusion. "Well, we're a couple. We should more time together."

Oh, I see. That's what our cover is, the reason why my route home has suddenly changed, the reason why I'd be spotted in her neighbourhood more than once. I have to admit, I'm impressed. She's thought of everything.

"Sure," I agreed. Rin smiled and for a moment, I dared to hope for something more than we were allowed. However, her next sentence efficiently erased all of my romantic notions.

"We could also get to know each other or we'll be like those 'complete stranger' sibling types. Like Takashi and Kobato! But Takashi wasn't Takashi, he was Youji, right? Do the same principles apply?"

I didn't respond, allowing her to drift into her otaku world. I could see why she and Nekomura-san got along so well. These kind of things are definitely out of my league. Speaking of which, I could see her coming up to us, though Rin was oblivious, still going on about Youji or Takashi or whoever.

"Rin-chan!" she squealed and in the blink of an eye, Rin had let go of my hand to hug her. I could feel the bitterness of jealousy in my throat, seeing their closeness. As a brother! Maybe...

"Len, I'll see you later, kay?" Rin called over her shoulder, already a few feet away. "Got it!" I shouted back. I was about to smile when I noticed the strange look Nekomura-san was giving me.

Rin's back was turned so I frowned at her but Nekomura-san just shook her head and continued chatting with her best friend. My sister.

Nekomura Iroha, the school's greatest mystery. Everyone knows her, she's one of those people. The kind that everyone tries to steer clear of.

Her odd pinkish orange hair and obsession with all things Hello Kitty made her a novelty to some, the teachers included, but no one seemed to know anything about her background.

Looks like she might know something, I'll have to look into it, she could be- Oh no, Haku's coming over. And she's holding a bonnet. That was never a good omen, on any day of the week. Why do I get the feeling I'll be wearing Victorian bloomers in a few minutes?

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><p><strong>CREDITS!<strong>

**For favoriting/subscribing: ChocoCookiePuff, CluelessLeaf, birdy1564, angel1210005, bicho1000, MichaelSaniyan, Kawaiiette & Haruhi Hitachiin. This is  
>dedicated to all of you! <strong>

**Comments:**

**CluelessLeaf: There are more surprises in store...**

**XxRed CapxX: Ne, can I see your collection? LOL XP**

**bicho1000: Thank you. It's very nice of you. *blushing* I hope this update isn't too disappointing. I'll try to make a better one next time.**

**Kawaiette: What do you think of this?**

**MichaelSaniyan: I hope it does turn out OK. I'm sorry if this update is a bit short. *bows* I'll try and improve.**

**Haruhi Hitachiin: Nope, it's continuous and long. The plot bunnies keep coming and reproducing. I just hope I can do it OK. **


	3. Life Bites: Past, Present & Future

**Sorry I took so long to update, but I promise you the next one will be a hell lot faster. You know, most writers are busy facing problems with their lives; I was enjoying these past few months. I feel bad...**

**I did my best, portraying Rin and Len's characters in this. I made Len really polite while Rin really, confused. I've decided to make Rin's character a little deep, on account of her past. So, review and tell me what you think. (Sorry if it sucks!)**

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><p><strong>Len<strong>

I have never appreciated the efforts of a dead person as much as I now appreciate the struggles of Amelia Bloomer, avid cyclist and dress reformer. No seriously, if Amelia-san hadn't invented the Victorian bloomers, I might be in the hospital right now.

It's no wonder nobody wears old-fashioned undergarments any more, they aren't just pieces of clothing, though it may appear so to the naked eye. Girdles, corsets and the like are actually weapons of torture, designed to slowly torment the victim, especially during the summer-"Len-kun, smile!"

"H-hai, Neru," I replied automatically, giving an awkward smile; but she didn't seem to mind.

"You are _sooo _adorable," she complimented, snapping her camera away. "That dress looks perfect on you!"

"Really?" I said, regarding my appearence with a little more thought.

The dress I wore was a blackcurrant red, reaching to my knees. It had a frilled bodice and the skirt had double layers, the first layer splitting in the middle with a ribbon a darker shade than the dress tied around my waist. The sleeves were puffed around my shoulder, neat ribbons around my elbows.

Black Mary Janes were the choice of footwear, paired with white, lacy, knee-length stockings. A small top-hat attached to a hairband, which matched the rest of the outfit, had been pulled on my head. I guess I did look, nice.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not a cross-dresser! It's just, last week, Neru, Haku and Iku asked on behalf of our class if I would do a, 'photo shoot' for them. You see, next spring, everyone will be graduating and there's a good chance we'll be separated; so I couldn't just say no. Rin didn't have any objections; but she didn't exactly support it either-"Hey, Len, are you in here?"

"What are you doing here, Hatsune?" Neru asked, her tone rather icy.

"I came to talk to _my_ boyfriend, Akita. Which, I believe, is none of your business."

"We're in the middle of something, if you don't mind-"

"No, no, it's fine," I interrupted, feeling kind of uncomfortable with their glaring. "I'll only be a minute, Neru. Is that OK with you?"

She seemed to be taken aback, but she nodded.

"Thank you," I smiled, gesturing for Rin to go outside. To which, she sighed wearily and backed out into the corridor.

"I don't understand how come you're so nice to people like _her_." She rolled her eyes in Neru's direction.

"She's usually nice to me; I wonder why she doesn't like you?" I responded.

Rin muttered something under her breath, which sounded a lot like, "Of course, she's nice to _you_."

"Why just me?"

"Well, she's probably nice to a lot of people," she answered quickly, embarrassed that I had heard her comment. "I'm just not good with people like you are, Len. They naturally dislike me. And I dislike them too."

I laughed. "Come on, Rin, you know that's not true. I like you and I hope, you like me too."

A red blush instantly colored her cheeks and she looked away. "Of course I l-like you, Len. Why shouldn't I?"

"As what?" I blurted out softly before I could stop myself.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rin ball her hands into fists and put them behind her back. A surge of guilt went through me for putting her in a such an awkward situation. I opened my mouth to apologize, when the classroom door abruptly slid open; causing the both of us to turn to an annoyed-looking Neru standing in the doorway.

"I thought you said you'd only be _a_ minute, _Hatsune_. It's already been five," she snapped at Rin, although I was the one who said it.

"Akita, ever heard of the phrase _being polite? _Or do you suck at Japanese as well as English?" Rin snapped back before I could vouch for her. "I'm sorry if you're a _total_ bitch and can't find yourself a semi-decent boyfriend, but don't interrupt _me_ when I'm talking to _mine_!"

Even Neru was stunned speechless at Rin's outburst. As the 'Arctic Wolf', she rarely argues with anyone; mostly, she says, it's because arguements are far too much work, and scaring opponents off is more efficient in keeping them away. This was probably the first time anyone at school had ever heard her _actually respond_ing to an insult.

"But if your pathetic little existence needs my boyfriend in order to survive, I think another five minutes won't kill you. Now, please shut up and _leave_," she finished, staring at Neru as if daring her to challenge what she had just said.

"Fine," she grumbled, slamming the door shut.

"Now back to our conversation," Rin announced, snapping me out of my state of shock. "I came here to tell you I'll be spending dinner at Iroha's tonight. I wanted to call you, but your cellphone was off and now I'm out of credit."

"Sorry, Neru asked me to switch it off before the shoot-"

"No, it's fine," she cut in. "But could you just tell Miku? Oh, and I'm sorry we can't walk home together today."

"Don't apologize, Rin. I don't think I'll get lost," I joked, and thankfully, Rin giggled.

"If that happens, do you mind if I put **'Have you seen this shota?'** on the fliers?"

We both burst into laughter and it felt, good, to be able to just laugh with her. Moments like these were hard to get with Rin nowadays. It could be just my imagination, but she seemed to be trying to, distanc herself from me. Again, I felt guilty, for putting her in another awkward situation- "Kay, I've got to go now."

"Oh, sure. I'll see you later then?"

"Yeah. Bye, Len!" With that, she waved and walked away. I watched her disappearing figure until she turned into another corridor.

"Finally!" Neru sighed when I came in. "Len, I know she's your _girlfriend_-" She almost spat the word out. "But you shouldn't let her rule your life. Just because she's the 'Arctic Wolf' and all, doesn't give her the right to boss you around!"

"Neru, I'm sorry if I sound rude, but what happens between me and Rin is private," I answered, slightly displeased at Neru's attitude towars Rin. "Can I ask you to please respect that?"

"Oh," she responded, looking taken aback. "Alright, Len. If it's for you, I'll try. Now, let's get back to the shoot."

"OK." I followed her instructions as she told me to try a certain position, but while she was taking the photos, I couldn't help noticing that she looked, hurt.

**Was that my fault too?**

~.~

"Gumi, you _own_ this place?" Hakuo asked, not bothering to hide the surprise in his voice. The name of the cafe alone (Carrot Cake & Tea) was enough to raise my eyebrows, I had a feeling eating here was even worse of an idea.

"Yup! And you two will be joining me for tea today!" she exclaimed happily and shoved Hakuo and I through the door. The bell that hung above the door tinkled as it was opened and we entered the Carrot Cake & Tea.

It was, pretty, in a way. Not as carrot-filled as I had expected, but there was a certain elegance to it. A certain elegance that reminded me of Victorian dresses...

"Cheer up, Len!" Gumi half-shouted, causing a few stares, and slapped me on the back. "Frowns aren't allowed in the Carrot Cake & Tea!" She gave a big smile before hissing in a menancing tone,"So start smiling, shota."

Hakuo and I exchanged looks, then he shrugged. I sighed.

Honne Hakuo is my closest friend. His family and mine have always been on good terms and they encouraged us to have a strong bond. It worked.

This is how I happened to end up here; a few minutes after I exited the school gate, Hakuo called, asking if I'd meet him at so-and-so. I didn't have anything to do so I said yes but I wondered why he wanted me to meet him there, until I arrived and saw Gumi next to him.

Since we were kids, he's always liked Gumi, but he can't bring himself to telll her. You see, his family is hoping to engage him to a princess from overseas; meanwhile Gumi's family is considering taking his older brother, Dell, as their son-in-law. Neither of us are sure what Gumi's feelings towards Hakuo are, but we both agreed:

**Now was not the time for confessions**.

"Ah, Gumi-sama, what a pleasure to see you!" exclaimed a woman wearing a bright green wig tied in a ponytail.

"Hi, Mio!" Gumi turned to us. "Guys, this is Mio, the manager of my little cafe. Mio, these are my friends, Hakuo and Aki- I mean, Len," she introduced, shooting me an apologetic stare for her slip-up.

"Friends of Gumi-sama are always welcomed here. Nice to meet you, I'm Takashi Mio. Allow me to show you to your tables."

"So, Mio, what's the anime of the month?" Gumi asked after we were seated.

Takashi-san gave a sly smile. "I picked an interesting one I thought you might like; _Higurashi_."

"Higurashi? Isn't that a type of cicada?" she asked, puzzled.

"True, Higurashi is a cicada, but wait till you _see_ it, Gumi-sama." Takashi-san gave her a knowing look.

Gumi grinned and stood up. "Guys, I'm going off with Mio, but I'll be right back, kay?"

"Don't keep us waiting too long," Hakuo replied "I'm starving."

"Got it!" Gumi laughed before Takashi-san led her away.

Hakuo isn't really much of a talker so I took the time to appreciate the cafe's interior decor. The furniture appeared to be cedar, the source of subtle scent in the air. White, lacy tablecloths and doilies were draped over most available surfaces. Tiny porcelain vases that held baby roses had been placed at every table.

The waitresses wore maid outfits while the waiters wore butler outfits. There weren't many employees, I guessed, for such a small establishment. Perhaps 10, 11 at the most?

As I surveyed the room, my eye caught a flash of blonde hair that made my head turn. A girl was exiting a side door, a trash bag in hand.

_It can't be, it can't be,_ I told myself but I stood up anyway. "Where are you going?"

"My legs feel kind of stiff, so I'm going to take a walk," I lied to Hakuo. "Order me the banana parfait, won't you?"

"Still into those girly sweets, eh?" he grinned."But OK, I'll order for you."

"Thanks." I wasn't sure why but I wanted to confirm that it was her. It would definitely be humiliating if I got the wrong person, yet I still found myself running to the back of the store, all the while wondering.

I wondered if she had been lying earlier, I wondered why she hadn't told me about her job or iif Miku knew about her job; if it was really her. If it really was who I thought it was, if I didn't know about this because she's been keeping it a secret; this might be just the thing that could bridge our increasing gap.

Ah, there she was, at the end of the alley, just about to close the lid of the bin. With all my might, I shouted her name.

"RIN!"

~.~

**Rin**

**God, Akita Neru's a bitch.**

Honestly, all week, she and her cronies have done nothing but bug me about me and Len's new couple status! I know we're just pretending, but _still._

Isn't it enough I've been trying my hardest to keep away from Len, (OK, we still share a room. And a bed, but that's not the point!), without the crap I get from her? Seriously, I've been doing my best to keep our relationship completely sibling-like and romance-free.

Mama Hatsune said she understood that the news might be too much for me to take in at once, but she asked that I try not to develop any strong feelings for Len; except as my twin.

You know, when I was little, I wanted to meet my twin brother so much. One of the social workers in my old orphanage told me about him and even showed me a picture of the two of us together as newborns. According to the birth certificates, Len was the Onii and I was his Imouto.

Apparently, he had been adopted shortly after entering the orphange; when we were just babies. The social worker let me keep the picture and I used to put it under my pillow. I didn't find out what my brother's name was so I just nalled him, Nii-chan.

Before going to bed, I would talk to the picture, pretending that I was telling my Nii-chan about my day. Sometimes, when I was angry or upset, I shouted at my Nii-chan, demanding to know why he left me alone. The bitterness of those days is still here, but it doesn't hurt as much as it used to.

When I was 11, I was finally adopted; by Mama Hatsune. I owe practically my life to her. Even after all the things I did, she still took me in. Even after that incident- "_Why_ are you crying?"

Iroha stood next to me, cocking her head to see my face. "What happened?" she asked gently.

"Just remembering the old days," I sighed. "I know I shouldn't be getting all emo about what happened before..."

"But you can't help it," Iroha assured me. "Rin, trust me, it's tough to 'move on'. There are times when we need to face our past and just let the tears flow. There's nothing wrong with it and it eases the pain a little."

"No wonder you're my BF," I laughed, wiping my eyes.

"Damn right you are," she agreed. "Unfortunately, I may have something that could stop your cying. Do you want it right now, or should I give it later?"

I stared at her. "You can't be serious."

Iroha smiled and pulled out a clear plastic baggy. "We've been best friends for nearly three years, Rin. You should know that Nekomura Iroha has her ways."

"OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGod," I whispered breathlessly in complete awe.

"Now, what do you say, RinRin?" she sang, waving it tauntingly.

"I love you so much, Nekomura Iroha-sama," I answered and quickly snatched the baggy out of her hand. Trembling, I opened it.

"Wow..." I breathed, swallowing my drool. "I seriously do love you, Iroha."

"I was looking for a thank-you but love works too, I guess." She ruffled my hair, making my bow crooked. "Take good care of these, you hear?"

"Yes, ma'am!" I saluted her. Currently in my hands are the actual negatives and color photos of Kagamine Len in a wardrobe of breath-taking Victorian dresses.

All through last week till today, the school's been buzzing about the no. 1 shota's photo shoot, a rare event not to be missed. Len hardly cross-dresses (well, he did transfer here just last spring) and come on: **Len + dress= Shota Heaven**

Like as if I'd miss something like that. Which I did.

Those girls tried threatening me when the news first spread. It started with the usual _'Don't you dare come near Len-sama, bitch' _notes and it escalated to physical violence. Not direct confrontation (wussies); just thumbtacks in my shoes and random needles in my bag. They tried pouring random junk on me too, but I know their tricks too well.

I learnt all of them and more in elementary school, with an even more psychotic and cowardly gang. Compared to what they did back then, these girls are complete amateurs.

"Did you hear what Yowane was saying about you today?" Iroha spoke as we walked together to my job.

"No. What did she say?"

"She called you a theiving little slut who just wants Len's money."

"Not just because I think he is the most adorable shota in the entire Universe? Wait, Len's rich?"

"That's what I heard."

"I see..." That would explain why he didn't seem baffled at the two classroom-sized closet when he first came and merely unpacked his clothes into the empty one as if he was used to such extravagance. Well, he does have a driver, and he does go to etiquette class- I am such a moron I surprise myself.

"Don't let it get you down, Rin! You're better than all those stupid hussies; that's why Len picked you," she encouraged, noticing the slight depression cloud surrounding me. "Which reminds me; you're coming over later, right?"

I nodded. She clapped her hands together. "Excellent. I can't wait for the Imouto Moe lesson to start!"

Another thing, Iroha thinks Len and I are into Imouto Moe. Imouto Moe, to my understanding, is kinda pretending to have romantic sibling affection between two non-related people. Though, in my case, it's the real deal.

She found a list I wrote the other day entitiled _'How To Strengthen Sibling Bonds' _and thinking the best of me, she assumed I was doing naughty things to Len while we play-acted as brother and sister.

Long story short, she decided to refine me in the 'art' of Imouto Moe and after a week of preparation, she was ready at last.

"If you decide to sleep over, there's a pile of clothes you left the last time you came that are all dry and clean," she told me when we reached the Carrot Cake & Tea.

"And vice versa," I grinned, pushing the front door open, tinkling the little bell above the door. "See you after work, Neko."

"See you!" she called out before the door closed behind me.

"Hey, Rin!" Mio greeted me. "Put this on." She handed me a one-piece green uniform; complete with shoes and accessories.

"Am I Satoko, by any chance, Mio?"

"Ding, we have a winner! I'm playing Mion/Shion. Now hop to it, the usual crowd's about to come in."

"Yes, boss!" I hurried to the locker room and went over to my locker to place my stuff, before changing into my outfit with record speed. I stared at my reflection; I didn't make a bad Satoko. Fluffing my hair a little, I walked into the cafe and begun my shift.

The only reason I took a job here was to help manage my otaku expenses. Ever since Iroha introduced me to the world of Japanese anime and manga, I became completely obsessed. Unfortunately, my allowance wasn't enough to supply me with all my otaku cravings. I felt too embarassed to ask Mama Hatsune so I decided to look for work.

Luckily, the Carrot Cake & Tea, which wasn't too far from school and happened to be an anime cafe, had an opening coming up. We constantly cosplay different characters but aprons and ties are obligatory, no matter what the costume. It gives class, in a way.

"Rin, could you take the trash out?" Mio asked, noticing me in a corner of the kitchen, taking a breather.

"Got it!" I replied and went over to the trashbin, removing the large black plastic bag. The side door leading to the dumpster out back was next to the toilets, which meant customers might see me. Well, I didn't know any of the customers, so I guess it wasn't such a shameful situation.

As I was about to shut the trashcan, I heard a familiar voice shout, "RIN!"

I turned, my heart pounding, to see my twin brother at the other end of the alley.

"Len?" I said in disbelief. "What sre you _doing _here?"

"Gumi owns this cafe; she invited me and Hakuo for tea," he explained, approaching me.

"Gumi _owns _the Carrot Cake & Tea?" This was certainly news. So that was the 'important guest' everyone was talking about. I should stop taking so many breathers during work.

"Why are you working here? What do you need the money for?"

"Hey, I don't have to work just for the sake of money! I could just be working here for experience."

"Experience in wearing short, revealing uniforms?"

That struck a nerve and I instantly remembered Yowane's comment. "Oh, it's too _revealing_, is it? Do you think I'm sort of slut, Kagamine Len?"

"I didn't say that! Rin, you're my twin- I'm just trying to protect you-"

"From what?" My voice raised about two octaves, hot tears clouding my vision. "Oh, I'm just your little twin sister, am I? And you're trying to _protect _me? Let me ask you this, stupid Nii-chan; where were you when I was alone at the orphanage? Where were you when I was crying for you to come help me? Where were you when I was being beaten up and left to bleed?"

He looked as if words had deserted him, but I didn't care. I was far too angry to care.

"All those years ago, no one protected me. When somone did, it certainly wasn't you." I jabbed his chest. "You lived your entire life being spoilt by your stinking rich foster parents while I was passed around orphanage to orphanage because no one wanted me! Everyone called me a freak because I was too strong; they were _afraid_ of me. They even locked me up!"

"Rin..."

"Shut up! I don't need pity from some frickin rich bastard." Without waiting for an answer, I ran. I heard him call my name but I ignored it.

'Idiot,' I thought, as I stood panting outside Iroha's house, the tears streaming down my cheeks. Len was nowhere in sight. I didn't even try to lose him; it was obvious he didn't even try to chase me and make things right.

**Stupid Nii Nii*; I hate you.**

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><p><strong>Hojou Satoko, from Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, calls her older brother Nii Nii; the reason why Rin calls Len Nii Nii.<br>**

**CREDITS!: **

**For favoriting/subscribing: Little Kagamine Love, AyumiIsTsundere, kasseybaby123, kagaminevii, LightSpeed Athlete24, MaxJacksonCullengirl, KusuKusuRima, Sirdimsum, xXHoodieBearXx, fantasyvocaloid, Cleomekitty & Evilkitsune98!**

**Thank you very much!**

**REVIEWS!:**

**Haruhi Hitachiin: Sorry I updated so late. . Hope you liked it!**

**RosarioLenFan02: *fangirl screams* Yeah, love-love Kagamine!**

**Little Kagamine Love: Sorry, the last chapter was slightly vague. I'm going to update this ASAP.**

**CluelessLeaf: Be prepared for _a lot_ of drama. (*spoiler*)**

**kasseybaby123: Hope you enjoyed this chappy!**

**kagaminevii: I'll be explaining more about their past soon and yes, TWINCEST!**

**Kawaiette: The next chapters will explain this story better; gomen for the confusion caused.**

**Hotaru-Nachingeru: *blush* Can't believe you think it's epic, but I guess I am a better writer than I thought.**

**KFG24: Actually, I wanted to do a twincest fic, but I was bored with the ones they had here, so I tried to be original. The whole plot kinda rests on the twin thing. I hope this chapter cleared up the twin thing. Thanks for the constructive critiscm, I tried to make this one better. Don't worry, I'm stupider. I'll be givin more details about Len's outfits in the next chapter.  
><strong>


	4. Feelings & Secrets

**Sorry if Len's POV sucked, or Rin's was really short. My life's been kinda hectic as of late. My best friend's moving away and my grandmother recently passed away. But don't worry! I'll do my best to update during my mid-term holiday at the end of the month so wait for me, kay?**

**Disclaimer: Ayumi9696 does not own Vocaloid and we all should be on our knees,, thanking God for that.**

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><p><strong>Len<strong>

Loneliness greeted me like an old friend as I was curled up beneath the covers, hugging the bolster I'd placed in the middle of the bed. I didn't dare touch Rin's side; the pillow beside me helped prevent my body rolling over and waking up with my face buried in Rin's pillow.

Her side must be cold, I thought, my fingers tempted to find out if it was true. But I didn't really need to do so. After all, I did sleep alone last night.

How ironic; Rin and I share a bed like a married couple, yet...

I sighed; I didn't want to finish the thought in my mind. Slowly, I allowed it to drift away and my attention began wandering elsewhere. Or maybe _wondering _is closer to the truth.

Hindsight, in my opinion, is more of a curse rather than a blessing. All the 'what ifs', all the annoying little regrets that never seem to go away, I don't enjoy them. Thoughts such as these are troublesome, and lead to plenty of unnecessary emotions.

Yet, here am I, pondering the results of a life that I threw away for this one. The life I used to call my own before my 13th birthday, the life I had before I discovered I had a twin.

If I never made the decision to transfer to Sakurai High, I wouldn't have fallen for Rin. Maybe we would meet knowing we were related, no romantic feelings or amorous notions onvolved. Maybe we would move in together, only hoping for nothing more than to build a close sibling relationship.

**But I'm selfish.**

When a shooting star streaks the night sky, I won't wish for my feelings for Rin to disappear; I'll wish for her to share them. The reason I keep hurting her, planting doubts within her, is so that she won't be able to think of me as her brother. Her heart, I want the memory of me to be etched forever, I want to leave my mark there.

Behind the grand image of the Arctic Wolf, there is a fragile girl who doesn't even know how much she is breaking. I saw it in her eyes yesterday, those azure orbs filled with so much suffering and tears you just want to hold her tight.

I nearly reached out to catch her and pull her back when she ran, but something stopped me; a text message from Mikunee-san asking what time time Rin and I would be back. That simple text reminded me that I was staying with the Hatsunes not just as a guest but as a relative, as Rin's flesh-and-blood twin. It brought me back to the reality of my life.

She must have hated me when she stopped running and realized nobody was coming after her. She must have thought I didn't care about her, abandoning her when she was clearly in pain. I won't try to change her mind.

If she knew the truth, she'd despise me even more.

Although it's cruel, although I know I'm not the only one hurting, I can't stop. This throbbing in my chest makes me want to scream from the sheer frustration of its existance; how can I allow everything to end without doing anything?

Don't cry, Rin; I'm not worth it. In fact, I'll continue making those tears flow, I'll continue making you sad, until you have no choice but to surrender to me.

Rin was right, I am a fricking rich bastard. No, on second thought, I'm far worse:

**I'm a selfish, spoilt brat.**

**~.~**

"Le~n!" sang the person on top of me, currently squashing every last breath I had. The sticky sweet scent of my would-be killer tickled my nose, a scent I knew all too well. Luckily, I was lying on my side.

Turning over so that I was lying on my back, a smile stretched across my face at the almost comical thump as my load was lifted. I sat up and stared at my assailant on the floor. "Kaito, what are you doing here?"

"My, my, i-ice cream..." He wasn't paying attention to me, too busy mourning the blue blob on the carpet. I sighed, getting up to fetch some tissues to clean up the mess and the tears dripping down Kaito's face. Suddenly, I heard a crack and felt something break under my foot.

"MY CONE!" It was too much for him to lose both a perfectly good scoop of ice cream and its yummy cone as well. Kaito curled up into a ball while mumbling phrases such as, "Why do ice creams melt so young?_" _and, "That cone fought for freedom, our freedom." What do I do-

"Ne, Len-kun, did you make Kaito-kun snap again?" Relief spread through me the second I looked up; people with common sense were standing at the doorway of my bedroom.

"Teto, the way you put it makes it sound like Kaito was sane to begin with." Hakuo shot a toothy grin at me. "Nice jammies, by the way, Len."

"And you make it sound as if I don't have color photos of you sleeping in a bridesmaid's dress."

"I was six, and weren't you the bride for that ceremony?"

"Whatever. I was six too." We laughed and high-fived. It's been awhile since I've spent time with my friends, I forgot how much I liked it.

"Leon-kun's downstairs apologizing to Hatsune-san," Teto informed me, the three of us still doing nothing about Kaito's condition. "She was a bit surprised when Kaito-kun, rushed in here." Saying Kaito 'rushed' in here was a slight euphemism; he ran like a tornado on a sugar rush.

"But I'm OK now, so there's nothing to worry about." We all turned to see Mikunee-san smiling apologetically as she approached us. "And call me Miku."

"We came up here to invite you guys to lunch," Leon added from behind her. "Where's Kaito?"

"In there, crying over the ice cream he spilt on the floor," Hakuo pointed.

"Eh? There's ice cream on the floor?" Mikunee-san exclaimed. Before any of us could respond, she had pulled out various cleaning products from behind the furniture the way a magician pulls out rabbits and birds from his hat.

"Mikunee-san, I'm not sure if you should go in there-"

"But I have to clean up! If I don't do it now, I can't get rid of the stain and Rin-chan will have to take care of it all by herself."

"What's wrong with that?" Teto blurted out the simultaneous thought the four of us probably had.

"I'm the Nee-chan! If I can't even keep the house neat and tidy when Rin-chan isn't around, what kind of sister would I be?"

Those words struck us all speechless, dumbfounded looks creeping on everyone's faces. None of us had ever heard something so simplistic, and so kind. Rin was independent, but Mikunee-san still wanted to take care of her, even in the smallest way possible. That was a real sibling bond, one that didn't even need a blood bond to strengthen it.

"Um, Kaito-san, do you mind moving to the side?" Mikunee-san was saying, obviously nervous at confronting a complete stranger.

We held our breaths as Kaito turned around, purely for the sake of being polite. The loss of his precious snack had dealt a hard blow on him, but the moment he saw the tealette standing behind him, all grief rose from his face and a light pink dusted his cheeks.

"Oh, Kami-sama," Hakuo muttered, knowing just as well as the rest of us what was going on.

The expression Mikunee-san wore was one of surprise and slight awe, more or less her usual expression; the sole difference being the bright shade of scarlet painting her face.

"You know, Miku-san did say lunch was nearly finished heating up," Leon whispered quietly. The four of us exchanged looks.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't be wrong if we helped," said Teto.

"I'll set the table," Hakuo offered; most likely the first and last time he'll be doing that. This alone was enough to prove how serious the situation was.

"I need a shower, so I'll meet everybody downstairs in, 10?"

It wasn't much of a plan, but it was something. No one really wanted to get in the way, not while the Shion-Hatsune romance was beginning to bloom.

**~.~**

Lunch was, quiet. To be precise, Kaito and Mikunee-san were the only ones chatting, shyly opening up about themselves. We kept our mouth shuts, steering clear of the conversation.

Close to sunset, Hakuo and I waved Leon and Teto off from the wide balcony next to my room. Kaito was definitely not staying the night, therefore it was up to Hakuo to make sure they both got home.

We watched them walk away until they were two tiny specks in the distance, before Hakuo asked," How are you and Rin-san doing?"

Instantly, butterflies started to flutter in my stomach and I could feel the heat rising to my face. This was my default reaction whenever I heard Rin's name unexpectedly. I can't help it and personally, I think 'Kuo loves it when this happens.

"We're doing well. She's staying over at a friend's place tonight. Why?" He grinned slyly at the hurried way I said everything, knowing damn well what was happening to me.

"Oh, nothing. Len, as your friend, I respect your privacy, no matter what kind of weird things you do to Rin-san-"

"Eh?"

"But not everyone's like me, you know that. Some people are like, _her._" His body tensed and a frown tugged at the corner of his lips. There was no need to mention her name, we both knew who it was.

"What about her?" I replied, sounding calm. "Did she try to take that teeth-cleaning course for sharks agins or did she do her re-enactment of King Kong in New York again-"

"She, heard about you moving in with Rin-san," he interrupted

I sighed. I didn't think the news would've travelled so fast; it's barely been a month. "What's going to happen then? Is she coming here?"

"I don't know. That's all I heard." Suddenly, those blood red eyes were locked with mine, that piercing gaze that seemed to see through everything. There was no point in trying to lie to Hakuo now. "You never told me why you moved here."

I closed my eyes, breaking the connection. Looking away from him, I surveyed the area. Quiet, now that dinnertime was approaching. "Ne, 'Kuo, do you remember why I became Kagamine Len?"

"Yes," he nodded. "To find your twin sister, your Imouto."

"Well, the Hatsunes are linked to her-"

"You mean they know where she is? That's why you went out with Rin-san? Len, I thought-"

"Not where, _who, _my friend. They know who she is."

"You're staying with Rin-san because you want to find your twin sister?"

"Don't you get it, Hakuo? I'm not staying with Rin to find my twin. I'm staying with Rin, because-" I didn't want to say it. When I said it, it became more solid, more real. By saying it out loud, I was confirming something I'd been trying to deny since that night. But, Hakuo was my friend. He deserved the truth. That's why I told him:

**"Because she _is_ my twin sister."**

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><p><strong>Rin<strong>

Oh Kami-sama, why the hell did I agree to this?

I'm still a newbie at being an otaku, unlike Iroha whose first words were, _'anime', 'manga' _and '_Pretty Cure!_'. I know she adores yaoi, slightly likes yuri, but hand on my heart and everything, who knew how much she loved _incest_? (Iroha calls it sibcest cause she strictly prefers sibling relationships.)

Dinnertime was still a long way away, but I was already at my limit. Bad news for me, Iroha was not; and if there's one thing she's determined to teach me, it's Imouto Moe because, I quote, "Imouto Moe isn't just a hobby, it's a way of life!"

It went well at first. She showed me some light manga like_ Burakon! _and some light anime too. _Onegai Twins _took me by surprise; the story's kinda similar to what happened to me. That was after breakfast and those weren't too incestuous.

It was only after morning snack-time that I realized what kind of crap I had gotten myself into. The manga and anime became steamier and steamier; it almost seemed like the characters couldn't keep their clothes on for even one freaking chapter. I suffered a small nosebleed sometime around lunch.

Oh yes, now Iroha, I mean Nekomura-_sensei _wanted me to think about what I've learnt so far during the course, which will end tomorrow; and here it is:

**Never allow Nekomura-sensei in a classroom**

"Rin!" Iroha gasped, stifling her laughter. "How rude. And here I am, trying to help you! You should be ashamed young lady."

"Iroha, you're teaching me Imouto Moe, how much more ashamed should I be?"

"Well, er, you see..." She took one look at my not-really-best poker face and pounced. Exactly like a cat, she just pounced, and burst into laughter. "Rin baka, I'm trying to be serious!"

"And I'm trying not to scar myself for life!"

"No fair Len gets to have you all to himself," she huffed, turning away from me.

"Yeah..." my voice trailed off. I have never been good at hiding how I feel, not with people like Iroha, people I trust.

Once I trust someone, I can no longer hide anything from them. All my secrets, my feelings, they'll know me down to the last detail. Those kind of people are rare, and precious.

But, even though I say this, I still haven't told her about_ that_. Keeping these kind of secrets, I don't like it.

It eats up at me, it makes me scared. If Iroha found out before I found the courage to tell her. Will she hate me?

"Rin?" I looked up. Iroha stared at me cautiously, since I have been a little emo lately. Her brows were knitted with worry and her eyes were glittering in the light. "Rin, what's wrong-"

"Iroha, would you hate me if I kept a secret from you?" The words flowed out from my mouth.

Her eyes widened in slight surprise, then a gentleness crept over her face. "No, I wouldn't. I don't think it's possible for me to hate you."

"But, I'm hiding something from you-"

"You're entitled to have things you can't tell other people. Whether you tell me or not, it's your choice. And it's my privilege if you trust me enough to do so." She smiled encouragingly. "Don't you think so."

I smiled. Iroha, always knows what I need to hear. "Thank you, Nekomura-sensei." I bowed.

"But, Rin, remember this." She gave me a piercing gaze, an expression I'd never seen before. "Some secrets can hurt, especially when they come from the ones yyou love. Be careful, of those secrets."

I frowned. What was she saying? "Iroha, what are you talking about-"

"Len, you shouldn't put too much faith in him. He's a good person, I'm sure of that, but there are certain things about him that might, hurt you." Iroha stood up. "Give a minute, I need to get something downstairs-"

"What are you trying to tell me, Iroha?" I didn't look at her, I didn't want her to see the emotions swirling inside of me. But my trembling hands probably gave it away.

She said softly, maybe with a sad smile, before she left the room, these six words:

**"Some secrets aren't meant to be told."**

**Credits will be postponed to the next chapter. Gomen! **


	5. Looks Like Our Secret's Out

**No, I'm not dead yet! Everyone, I am soo sorry about how I've been this past year. (The assassin & the prince fans, wait for me!) The beginning of this year was the worst 6 months of my life; my 16th birthday turned out to be the most horrible birthday I've ever had.**

**Thankfully, my world cheered up and I'm feeling much better now. Hell, I might be publishing a book soon. Yeah, yeah, I sent a draft to a publisher and I'm just waiting for my parents to give me the green light for the contract.**

**Sadly, like my fics, you'll have to wait awhile for it. But when it comes out, please buy it. _Please_? *puppy-dog eyes***

**Disclaimer: Can't believe I only need to work what, 6 times a year and just tell the world that ayumi9696 does not own Vocaloid. I love my job!**

**Ayumi9696: Good thing I'm not paying your medical insurance. Power-up; ROADROLLER!**

**Disclaimer: KYAAA!**

**Ayumi9696: Life's good**

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><p><strong>Rin<strong>

I was not in a good mood.

Then again, I generally disliked Mondays, but today felt different. It felt like one of those rare days when no matter what you do and how you do it, everything's going to go wrong.

It started even before I woke up. You see, just before we went to bed last night, Iroha made me read _Tsumi ni Nureta Futari_ and _Aki-Sora_.

_Tsumi ni Nureta Futari_ was about two siblings, Yoshiki and Kasumi who had been separated nearly their whole lives. When they meet, not knowing they were brother and sister, they had a one night stand. Later on, they find out the truth. Most of the manga is about everyone around them forbidding their relationship. Lots of unrequited love and crazy people, that's my only comment. Well, I guess it wasn't so bad.

Then came _Aki-Sora._

31 chapters of pure smutty 'sibcest goodness' as Iroha called it. Personally, I think that's a light way of describing a manga capable of giving me 15 nosebleeds in the two hours it took to finish it.

I admit, Sora was so damn cute he could challenge Len to a shota showdown, and wow, the phrase 'body of a goddess' was made for Aki.

But, _seriously_, the characters had sex whenever and wherever possible, rain or shine. Not to mention the three-way, involving Sora, his twin sister, Nami and her friend, Kana.

Thanks to that, I had a particularly _vivid_ dream, involving Len in several different uniforms. When I woke up, I was wet. I immediately bashed Iroha with her own pillow to vent my horniness out.

On reflex, Iroha went into cat mode, clawing and scratching at the pillow. The feathers floated down from the ceiling like a gentle snowfall, but Aunt Mika didn't exactly appreciate the artistic beauty in our mess.

Did I mention my BF has a weird habit of setting any clock she can get her hands on one hour early? Because I was still bleary-eyed, I forgot that fact when I glanced at Iroha's watch.

Thinking it was almost 8.30 and not wanting to be punished by Lola-sensei, I ate hurriedly. Unfortunately, I'm not a manga character. Instead of moving with lightning speed without breaking a sweat, I choked a bit on my toast and knocked over my glass of orange juice.

Which caused us to actually be late.

So here I was, running as hard as I could, trying to make it before the late bell rang in about 10 more minutes.

"Ne, Rin, don't leave me!" Iroha shouted behind me, struggling with her things.

"It's your fault, Iroha!" I called back.

"How is it my fault? We had to wait for almost an hour for your shirt to dry-"

"Well, if you just set your watch to the right time like normal people-"

"Being abnormal means being different, and different is unique! You can't change me, Rin."

"And this is why I'm leaving you!"

I pushed myself harder, Iroha's voice and footsteps getting further and further away. Just like that day, with him.

I've never liked running. It makes your body sweaty and your feet ache afterwards. Also, for me, it's a sign of fear.

Like a wild animal, I run when I'm afraid. Running tires me out so much that my mind will blank and I can't think of anything any more. Nobody can hurt me when I run. Nothing can touch me when I run. That's what I thought, at least.

Three days ago, I found out there was an exception to the rule:

**Len**

That baka! Criticizing me in his stuck-up way; acting so high-and-mighty as if he's so great. Never remembering the Imouto he left behind, who just wanted to meet him. Who just wanted him to, accept her.

But that's selfish, isn't it?

There are certain secrets I'm hiding from him, so many things I'm keeping quiet about. I don't know what to do. Should I open my past, those memories that still leave me bleeding, to him? Can I trust him?

I don't know; I'm afraid-

Suddenly, the sound of the first bell resounded in the distance, returning me to harsh reality. I picked up my pace, knowing full well the fate waiting for me when I walked through the gates of Sakurai High.

~.~

"My feet feel like jelly," I complained, as I walked out of the teacher's room. I was serious; they were so numb I was wondering how the hell I could still walk.

"Be grateful your nose is still working. I think mine needs to go to therapy," Iroha replied before shivering.

As expected, the Demon Gatekeeper, Lola-sensei was patiently standing at the front gate when I arrived, shortly followed by Iroha.

Since I came running, she thought it was appropriate for me to continue my running by doing 50 laps around the school field. Compared to Iroha, I probably got off lighter.

She was sentenced to cleaning the boys' bathroom by the gym, the legendary bathroom which reeked so bad it actually caused a janitor to fall into a coma. I heard he's still recovering.

"Good thing homeroom's over," I was saying as we entered the classroom. "I don't think I could stand any class after _that-" _

"Look who just walked in, everybody!" I turned my attention to the person standing in front of me, whose presence wasn't exactly improving my day.

"What do you want, Akita?" I sighed wearily. Better to get this over and done with.

"Hatsune, Hatsune, last to know everything as always," she sneered. "Well, why don't you listen to a little recording that's been going around?" From behind her, Yowane pressed the play button on her cellphone.

Two voices filled the room; two very _familiar _voices.

_"I didn't say that! Rin, you're my twin- I'm just trying to protect you-"_

_"From what? Oh, I'm just your little twin sister, am I? And you're trying to protect me? Let me ask you this, stupid Nii-chan; where were you when I was alone at the orphanage? Where were you when I was crying for you to come help me? Where were you when I was being beaten up and left to bleed?"_

_"All those years ago, no one protected me. When somone did, it certainly wasn't you. You lived your entire life being spoilt by your stinking rich foster parents while I was passed around orphanage to orphanage because no one wanted me! Everyone called me a freak because I was too strong; they were afraid of me. They even locked me up!"_

_"Rin..."_

_"Shut up! I don't need pity from some frickin rich bastard."_

_"Rin!"_

My eyes widened in shock. How the hell had she managed to record our conversation? Stalker much?

"Cat got your tongue, Hatsune?" She smiled at me. "But, I don't think you knew either did you, Nekomura-san?"

"Akita, don't involve her. It's me you want, isn't it?"

"But I've already gotten what I want, Hatsune; your break-up with Len-sama. Unless-" Her lip curled in smug satisfaction. "You still have those disgusting feelings towards your own _brother_."

To this, I laughed. Yeah, everyone was watching, and I did look a bit cuckoo; but I laughed, loud and clear.

"You seriously thought Len and I were like that?" I asked, snatching her phone before she could respond. "Akita, can't you tell romantic love from sibling affection? I was just getting to know my twin brother these past few weeks; I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

The phone made a pleasant sound as I crushed it beneath my foot. I smiled at Akita.

"I'd appreciate if you didn't use such dirty tactics to get to me. Don't underestimate me, Akita. You might not live to regret it." All emotion, all weakness had left me. I was in Arctic Wolf mode, completely frozen and unaffected by the world.

Akita's expression matched the rest of my classmates'. Rarely did I show this cold steel to so many people; it was this kind of thing that usually scared everyone off.

"Rin..." A single whisper broke the reigning silence. "I, I can't believe you..." She shook her head, unable to finish her sentence.

"Iroha-"

"Leave me alone." With that, she spun on her heel and walked out.

My feet were rooted to the ground; I couldn't chase after one of the most important people in my life. I could only watch. I turned back to the class, apparently holding their breath for my reaction.

I stared at the clock above the board. "Do you people seriously want to sit in here for the rest of break?"

Immediately, the entire class whirred to life. I stepped aside to let the crowd through, to buy their morning snacks, to hang out with their friends, to take their toilet breaks; whatever business they had, it was no business of mine.

My desk was in the last row, by the window. I took in the view of the world outside and wondered how everything could be so normal when something so huge had happened.

I sighed and laid my head on my desk. Gently, I drifted into a dreamless sleep, wishing the emptiness would last forever.

* * *

><p><strong>Len<strong>

The classroom was deserted, save for one small figure sleeping quietly in a corner. I watched Rin's sleeping face; she seemed so peaceful. Since break-time, she barely stirred from her sleep.

No one dared wake her, not even the teachers. Everybody went on with life, ignoring her. I'm glad they did; the comfort I couldn't provide for her, I hope she could find it in her dreams at least.

"I'm sorry." I wasn't like Rin; I was neither strong nor brave enough to face a crowd like that, but what I could do, I'd do it right.

No screw-ups, slip-ups or mess-ups. I'd fix this, no matter what it took.

Because this is what Rin deserved. True, I was still going to hurt her, I was still going to make her cry; yet, it didn't mean anyone else could do the same.

~.~

"Len-kunn!" I turned around. As expected, Neru was running excitedly towards me, looking so happy I almost felt guilty.

_Almost._

"_Sooo,_ what did you want to talk about?" She didn't even suspect I was angry with her for the way she treated Rin, that my hand was itching to slap that silly smile off her face.

The empty classroom felt even emptier without all the equipment Neru had brought for my photo shoot last week. I closed my eyes; it was easier to hurt someone when you couldn't see their faces.

"You're a real bitch, you know that?"

Silence; the type of silence that only came with pure disbelief.

"L-len-kun-"

"You heard me, Neru. I'm sorry if it sounds harsh, but anybody who hurts Rin is a bitch in my book."

"You're _defending_ her?"

"What did Rin do wrong, Neru? What did she ever do to you until you had to hurt her like that?"

She didn't answer, bowing her head. I turned around to gaze out the window to distract myself, when suddenly, her arms wrapped themselves around me; her body trembling against mine.

"She had you," she whispered in a voice close to tears. "She had you, Len-kun."

"Neru..." It wasn't that she was a bad person, it wasn't that she hurt Rin because it made her happy. "You were jealous."

"You two looked so close, and you looked so, happy. Happier than I've ever seen before. Why can't it be me who makes you smile the way she does?"

"I suppose love doesn't work like that."

She laughed. "Now I know how much you love her, if you're willing to attack me."

"I, I-"

"The Len-kun I love is kind and wouldn't hurt someone that easily. Please be happy, Len-kun."

I grasped one of her hands, startling her. "Repeat the first sentence again, Neru."

"The Len-kun that I, love." She buried her face in the back of her shirt, then let go. "I really love you, Len-kun, I really do."

"Sorry, Neru. I have-"

"Someone you like. I know, and I wish you the best. Bye-bye, Len-kun."

I didn't budge, as Neru's footsteps grew dimmer. I sighed. "I'm sorry-"

"You apologize too much, you know?" interrupted a certain someone.

"Do I now?"

"Good people always do."

A chuckle escaped my lips and I spun to face the girl behind me. "So you're saying I'm a good person?"

"I suppose," Rin shrugged. "Thanks for doing that. At least, Akita will get off my back."

"I wanted to do something brotherly; I thought I should start somewhere. How long have you been standing there?"

"Around the confession. I didn't want to interrupt, but when you started apologizing to yourself..." She shook her head. "Again, you apologize too much."

"Do you mind if I say one more apology?"

"You don't have to." She took my hand. "Apology accepted"

"Rin..."

"But that doesn't mean you're off the hook," she said, a cheeky glint sparkling in her eyes. "Forgiveness comes at a price."

"Yen or dollar?"

"Baka!" she laughed, swatting the back of my head. "I meant there are certain _conditions_ you have to follow if you want me to forgive you."

"Conditions?"

"Yup. One, you cannot tell Miku or Mama Hatsune about my job at the Carrot Cake & Tea. Trust me, you don't want to see what's waiting on the other side. Two, I cosplay however I want, whenever I want. That means I only agree to what they make me wear because I want to wear it.

Three-"

"You do know that lunch only lasts for an hour, right?" I joked.

Rin rolled her eyes. "Three, trust me. And I'll trust you."

"But-"

"No excuses. No matter what secrets I have, you'll just have to trust me. And vice versa. Deal?"

I couldn't help smiling. Rin, Rin, you're probably one of the cutest people I've ever met in my life. I squeezed her hand. "Deal."

"Now, let's get going; I'm starving-" She stopped; letting go of my hand in the process.

"Rin," her best friend breathed and broke into a run. Before anyone could step back, she had pounced on Rin, exactly as a cat would.

"Iroha-"

"I'm sorry!" she cried out, squeezing the oxygen out of the blonde currently in her hold. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

She didn't reply; not because she wouldn't, more like because she couldn't.

"Nekomura-san, I don't think Rin can breathe-"

"Iroha-dono to you, LenLen!" She released Rin and turned to face me. "So, you're the Nii-chan Rin's been pining for, huh? Not a waste of fourteen years, I guess."

"Iroha!" Rin pinched Iroha's(?) cheeks from behind and tugged.

"It hurts, Rin!" she mewled (in a quite feline fashion). "Waa, stop it!"

"Tell Len he can call you 'Iroha' first."

"Fine; LenLen, I allow you to address me as, Iroha."

"Good." She eased her tugging. "Now, bow to me and say, "Please forgive me, Oh Great Rin-dono."

"Isn't the dono overdoing it-" She squeaked the last syllable, due to Rin stretching her face even harder. "OK, OK!"

Once released, she knelt before Rin dramatically, clasping her hands together. "Please forgive me, Oh Great Rin-dono."

"Alright, I-"

"And to prove the depth of my apology, I offer you a gift, Rin-dono." On cue, an explosion resounded in our ears and the floor shook under our feet.

I looked at her. "What-"

"What did you do, Nekomura Iroha?" my twin finished, grinning at her.

She shrugged. "It was nothing; I thought you might want an excuse for leaving early, and I know how much you're against skipping." Seeing my expression, she snickered. "Don't worry, LenLen, the building isn't damaged. I only set off a couple of vibrations and small fireworks for show."

"So there's still school tomorrow?"

"It was the best I could do on short notice."

I walked behind them in a daze, shocked to the point where mere words were not enough to describe it. The three of us took our bags, while the fire-truck swerved into the compound.

"Ne, Rin, have you called Mio about running out on her last week?" Iroha asked, as we passed the street of shops on our way home. The Carrot Cake & Tea was somewhere in the area, but I couldn't recall where exactly.

"Eh?!" Rin whipped out her phone instantly, dialling furiously.

"You never change, do you, Rin-chan?"

In reply, she stuck out her tongue, her phone at her ear. Takashi-san picked up several seconds after that, which left Iroha and I by ourselves, as she talked to her boss.

I couldn't help feeling slightly guilty; it was my fault Rin had skipped her job that day. I fiddled with my own phone in my pocket, wondering if I should ring Gumi and ask her for a favour. Favours with Gumi were costly though-

"Are you free tomorrow?" I turned to Iroha.

"I have club activities." I answered automatically. "Why?"

"Let me tell you one thing; _Kagamine _Len-" I frowned at the way she pronounced my surname; it sounded, hostile. "I don't trust you, not with my Rin-chan."

"And?" The Nekomura Iroha standing in front of me was not the Hello Kitty-loving, eccentric otaku who was Rin's closest friend. Her eyes were sharp, her expression dead-serious.

"Prove to me that I'm mistaken. That you won't hurt her."

"How do I do that?"

"Meet me after your club stuff tomorrow. Alone."

"You're awfully demanding, _Iroha_. Not to mention, you're interfering with other people's personal affairs."

"THe rich-kid big-talk doesn't scare me, LenLen. And I'm only doing this because I don't want Rin to get hurt again, not after what she's gone through."

Her statement piqued my interest. Did she really know Rin's past? Maybe I could get something out of it if I agreed.

"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow at our classroom, but I'd like to know what's in it for me."

She gave me a cold smile. "As expected of someone like you. How about this; you give me, 10 minutes of your time, and I'll answer any 8 questions you have for me?"

What did she mean 'someone like you'? I decided not to ask; it seemed Rin was almost done talking to Takashi-san. "That doesn't sound rather fair. 10 minutes for just 8 questions?"

"I'll be asking you 6 questions at the most, your answers will take up most of the time. How's that for you?"

Not bad, not bad. She could bargain, that I had to admit. "6 questions, no more."

"Likewise for you; I'll only take 8. Agreed?"

I nodded, just as Rin finished her call. She bounded over to us, beaming an infectious grin that had all of us smiling.

"Stop smirking!" Iroha swatted her arm.

"Ow, Neko!" she exclaimed. "But I won't let you ruin my mood."

"I take it Takashi-san was OK with everything?" I interjected politely.

"Yep, Mio was completely nice about the whole thing. But I have to make up for it with a few extra shifts tomorrow."

Iroha and I exchanged looks; I see we both didn't want Rin to know about our little discussion. "That's great, Rin," I told her.

"I know, right? I'll make an extra special dinner tonight to celebrate! You guys mind coming with me to the supermarket?"

"Sure-"

"Mom wants me back early today," Iroha cut in.

"Mika's still upset about the pillows?" I assumed Mika was Iroha's mother, and I wondered what had happened to the 'pillows' that might have made her upset.

"No, no," she shook her head. "She loves any excuse to shop for new furniture. See you."

We watched her walk off, blending into the crowd. The blonde beside me took my hand. "We'd better get going too."

"Yeah. Hey, Rin, why should Iroha's mother be upset about the 'pillows'?"

A light blush crept over her cheeks. "Well..."

I listened to the tale of their catfight this morning, laughing and nodding in the right places, so that Rin wouldn't notice I was staring back at the crowd, hoping for a glimpse of Nekomura Iroha, her best friend,

**And possibly the newest threat to my secret**.

* * *

><p><strong>Whose dramatic? I'm dramatic! Thanks for reading; I promise to update 'The assassin &amp; the prince' soon. Maybe.<strong>

**CREDITS! (For C3 & C4)**

**For favoriting/subscribing: wisarute7, MewMewApple101, red258, lunag6, kanakokiriha, cibivampire1997, KFG24, BananaLen, RiriaKazeKage, RPR, Kodamnation, BubblezTrancyFreak210, MOSHIxMOSHI, Ae123monkey, Alexya-Kira Kagamine, DyingWill4RainSky, moonlit starry sky, VeridianSoul!**

**REVIEWS!**

**wisarute7: Yes, Rin's gone through a lot despite her age, but she has people who support and love her. Don't hate Len! He truly, sincerely loves Rin from the bottom of his heart. Please review this chapter too!**

**DokiDokiKyuuChan: I'm a BIG Higurashi fan myself. I loved the ending, I'm glad everyone got a happy one. Mostly everyone. Sorry, but it's going to continue being complicated and dramatic, and let's just say I love torturing my characters in many ways. But please keep on reading.**

**KFG24: Actually, any couples other than RinXLen in my fics are pretty much random. Gomen, but I'm going to continue with my HakuoXGumi since I'm already planning their wedding and everything in my head. LOL XP I keep forgetting to describe the shota heaven! Remind me in your next review, kay? *grins evilly* And thanks for the compliment, I hate being cliché, for some reason.  
>P.S.(Let's not argue about whose dumber, it's obviously me. My IQ test tried to commit suicide after I wrote my answers.)<strong>

**MOSHIxMOSHI: Nope, purely accidental; I've only just started on Kaichou wa Maid-sama. Eh, is this fic that good? *blush, blush* Not that I'm a dedicated otaku, I'm simply super-obsessed. Thanks to my love for RinXLen, I've come to accept twincest and all sibcest. Of course, Kagamine Twincest is always the best. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'll try to update faster. (I suck at updating on a normal basis.)**


	6. Rin's In Trouble, Typical

**I just got a taste of heartbreak. It was, educational.**

**Disclaimer: I pity you, but you don't own Vocaloid.**

**Ayumi9696: You're right.**

**Disclaimer: NOOOO- Huh? *collapses from the shock of not getting beat up***

**Ayumi9696: So if I beat Disclaimer up, faints. If I don't, still faints. *ponders this to herself* Might as well beat him up.**

* * *

><p><strong>Len<strong>

I awoke to Rin's hair in my face; we were hugging, my arms around her waist while her legs were intwined with mine. Her plushie was nowhere in sight.

I almost yelled out in surprise, if I hadn't been enjoying it so much. The orange scent of her shampoo was light and tangy, and her hair was soft silk on my skin. Slowly, I lifted my hand to run it through her locks.

I shivered at the dangerous line I was crossing. I closed my eyes, so that I wouldn't be tempted to go any further.

I propped myself up, slipping my arm from beneath Rin's body as gently as I could. Once I was free, I sat up properly ang gazed out the window. The sky was orange and gold, the sun had just risen.

It was time for my day to begin; and for a shower, to wash off the faint smell of tangerine shampoo from my body.

~.~

The day passed without much fuss. Everyone was panicking over Iroha's little set-up, so there wasn't much talk regarding Rin and my current relationship.

Some said it was just an earthquake, though most of my class was convinced it had been an explosion to uncover Sakurai's secret treasure, an old school legend.

Surprisingly, no one suspected the three of us who had sauntered through the gates so calmly yesterday. Rin was called to the teacher's room around lunch, but it hadn't been about the explosion. Lola-sansei wanted to dicuss her academic records, potential high schools and such, seeing as it's so close to graduation.

I wondered what high school Rin would choose; would she continue to Sakurai's high school (both the middle and high school were generally referred to as Sakurai High, for some reason), transfer to a private school? Or maybe a boarding school?

"Don't know," she shrugged when I asked her; she hadn't put much thought into it.

Iroha on the other hand, according to Rin, seemed to be considering transferring to a different school in the spring, per her mother's request. Although Rin herself wasn't quite sure what school Mika-san was interested in.

Then, I wondered where I would go, after spring. I hadn't decided anything either.

I glanced at Rin, would I be able to stay by her side next year too?

Aside from that, nothing particularly interesting happened. Neru, Haku and Iku kept their distance from me, understandable enough. I laughed and chatted with a couple of classmates at lunch, kept my head down and did my work during lessons.

Music club was fun. Our juniors were testing out original compositions they wanted to use for the graduation ceremony. As expected, there were some early waterworks, especially during a particularly sorrowful ballad.

Not to brag, but it was mine.

The clock ticked by, signalling time's passing,

And suddenly, I was here in my classroom, alone with Nekomura Iroha.

Her shoulders have been tense since I came in and they showed no signs of relaxing. I leaned against a desk a distance from her, and only then did one of us speak.

"I'll start off if you won't," I told her simply, meeting her gaze. "Tell me what you know about me."

She grinned, considering me with a look that said _'Not bad'. _"I'll answer that after you answer mine."

I looked at the clock. 3.50. "Your time starts now."

"First, are you really Rin's twin brother?"

I had anticipated this question, and dreaded it. It was like when I told Hakuo, I was reaffirming the statement I tried to deny the most. But if I wanted Rin... This was something I had to do. "Yes, according to my birth certificate, I am Rin's flesh-and-blood twin brother."

"Why are you living at her house?"

I frowned, how did she know? "My parents, my foster parents are currently, away, and Mama Hatsune was kind enough to take me in."

I saw her smirk briefly, as if she thought I had deserved my just rewards. I wasn't sure in what way did living with Rin make her feel triumphant.

"Do you love her?"

This question took me aback, but I replied instantly, "Of course."

She peered at me intently, trying to detect a lie. It wasn't. "How did you end up at Sakurai?"

"Huh?"

"I'll answer your earlier question, Len. What I know about you is that you come from an immensely wealthy family, although business has been bad lately. But even before that, you transferred to a common public school from an elite private academy. I have to wonder, why?"

Personally, I wondered what kind of an answer was she looking for in me. This entire thing, I realized, was a test. If I failed, what would Iroha do to the delicate bond I held with Rin? I didn't want to find out.

I kept my eyes down as I began. "It was on my 13th birthday that I chose to come here, to find my Imouto, my twin sister. You see, Iroha-"

She flinched at the mention of her name.

"I've always known that I was adopted, a foster child; but I didn't know I had any family left. By chance, I found out, and I was determined to find her. I asked my family to help me, but they refused. I don't know why, but I guessed that they knew where my sister was.

Then, I begged my foster sister to tell me anything really, my twin's name at least, since I would have to search for her myself. At first, she wouldn't say a word, but one day I managed to get to her. She just said, 'Go to Sakurai middle school, if you really want to meet her.' She didn't say anything else. So here I am."

Silence reigned for several moments. I didn't look at her, I didn't want her to know how much of a mess my emotions were.

"But you love Rin more than that, right?"

There was kindness in her voice, kindness that made me believe that I could be honest. "She distracted me, from my obsession with my sister. We didn't talk much before, but whenever I saw her, I felt a lonely pain. I knew that pain."

"Did you pity her?" She sounded conflicted, between hostilty and empathy.

"I usually respect people like Rin, strong people. She was different. I wanted to be by her side, and make her smile. Because when she smiled, the world seemed perfect."

Iroha burst into laughter.

I whipped my head to look at her, incredulous, when she hugged me. "Iroha?"

"Looks like I was wrong, after all. That's a first. See, you're even crying." She swiped a tear from my eye. "You really are a cute, sensitive shota."

"Hey," I protested weakly, smiling.

She released me, glancing at the clock. "You gave me an extra five minutes, so I'll give you an extra two questions."

I shook my head. "Maybe another time. I might need it when Lola-sensei calls me on."

We laughed together. Our initial bitterness was gone and I was glad, strangely glad. Iroha seemed to be the kind of person who could be a good friend.

And I needed more of those in my life.

~.~

Rin was home when I got back, serving dinner.

"Welcome back," she greeted me warmly. "Miku's out on a date, though I don't know when she met a guy." She stared at me inquiringly.

"Kaito, last weekend." I smiled.

"What?" She poked my cheek.

"It was love at first sight."

"Oh." To my surprise, a light blush rose to her cheeks, then she squealed. "Wow, that's so cute! Ah, why didn't she tell me? It's just like a manga! I'm going to go stalk them-"

I held her back by the scruff of her shirt.

"Len!"

"If it were your date, you would want privacy too, right?"

She bowed her head. "Yeah. I get it, I get it. You can let me go now."

"Good-" I stopped, my fingers loosening. My head hurt, for some reason.

"Len?"

I could hear the worry in her tone, but before I could say anything, the world had turned black.

* * *

><p><strong>Rin<strong>

Lola-sensei can be really scary when she wants to. Today, thankfully, she wasn't. She was just nosy.

"Lola-sensei," I sighed at last, the third sigh in five minutes. "No mater how you put it, you do know I know you're talking about bondage."

Her eyes widened. "Don't tell me-"

"Whip, rope, handcuff, gag. You might be able to get away with two or three in a conversation but not all four in under five minutes." I pouted, the way I did with her back in my elementary days.

She smiled. "You're fourteen, Rin. That doesn't work on me any more. Though honestly, have you tied up-"

"We barely touch!" I exclaimed, embarrassed. We may share a bed, but we keep our distance. But Lola-sensei didn't need to know that I, potential rapist of Kagamine Len (apparently), sleep right beside him every night; so I went with:

"We live together, we eat together, we're in the same class! But he doesn't even hold my hand or anything." Well, there was that time during our first date, but that memory stung just a bit too much to be told. Even to Lola-sensei.

Lola-sensei looked surprised, then she nodded. "I see, I see." She adjusted her glasses (reading glasses, for profession's sake), and tried to look proper; despite the fact we were both noticeably red.

I sighed. "You don't trust me," I muttered, pouting. Gomenasai, but it's a bad habit I get into whenever I'm around Lola-sensei.

"Aww, Rin-chan, no need to sulk. Sensei loves you remember. Remember, remember- Eh?"

I looked at her. "What is it?"

"Nothing," she shook her head. "It's just- When did you stop blushing?"

"Blushing?" Ah, I understood. Usually I blush when Lola-sensei starts babying me, because she's the first person who spoiled me. Since when did I stop feeling so pleased-

And then, it hit me.

"Sensei," I said quietly, staring her in the eye. "I think I'm in trouble."

She smiled back. "Aren't you always?" she replied, before leaning back in her chair to listen.

~.~

I returned the Satoko uniform to Mio, who didn't seem too upset that I practically ran off with company property. She just seemed a bit sad that I couldn't do Satoko for a little longer.

But no worries; my new character was pretty good too!

It was this really cool ninja girl named Kohaku, from Arina Tanemura's (one of my all-time favorite mangakas!) latest work, Sakurahime Kaden. (**Translation: The Legend of Princess Sakura)**

The manga is beautiful and deeply touching, as all of Tanemura-sensei's works are; and I'm especially a big fan of KohakuXHayate.

Hayate is a ninja boy who grew up with Kohaku. By accident, she turned him into a frog and until today no one has found a cure. Because of what she did, Kohaku cut her hair short and vowed to wait until Hayate was human again before confessing.

They're adorable together!

Hayate occasionally turns human during the full moon, and he's always trying to kiss Kohaku or hug her. Meanwhile, Kohaku is trying to suppress her feelings so she always pushes him away! But actually, actually...

Ah, Rin, control yourself. Going into full-on otaku mode in the middle of the store will not be helping you get a raise, or nicer characters to cosplay.

If you keep doing this, Mio might give you a perverted geezer next time! Or a lolicon outfit, with fake boobs and a cat-tail!

If Len found out...

All of a sudden, my thoughts stopped. Everything seemed to pause and stand still.

I exhaled, pushing away thoughts of Len.

_My brother._

I couldn't, absolutely couldn't- I had promised Mama Hatsune I'd try at least! I'd be shaming the proud name of the Arctic Wolf if I allowed myself to be so weak, to actually-

"Rin?" Mio was standing at the door of the locker room, not really worried. People often comment on my tendency to space out; I call it 'a mind's wandering'. It sounds cooler.

"Sorry, it's just-" I spread the hem of my outfit a little. "It's wonderful."

Mio's face lit up; she's extremely dedicated to the art of cosplaying. Rumor has it she's a professional cosplayer, but stopped when the Carrot Cake was opened.

Gumi's powers of persuasion are amazing.

Mio still continues her passion though, through her employees. Never diss Mio when she puts a costume on you; you will not live to regret it. No, it's not a rumor; I was there when an idiot newbie criticized cosplaying. I had to clean up the locker room afterwards; pee, not blood don't worry.

Why am I surrounded by all these alpha female types?

"Alright, alright, we have plenty of work ahead!" Mio's voice broke through my thoughts. She spun around; her long Asagiri hair flowing behind her. Her make-up and kimono also looked perfect.

I shut my locker and marched behind her.

Oddly enough, a strong desire was piqued inside me, a desire to follow Mio's example and cosplay at an anime event this year.

~.~

Throughout work, my eyes kept drifting to Mio. When I was serving the customers, or taking an order, I found myself staring at her.

Despite being the manager, Mio has a good relationship with all of our regulars, and is always friendly towards the newcomers. She remembers everyone's names, and their current favorite sweet or anime/manga.

She moved around a lot, going from table to table to chat with everybody or give them a treat or just say hi.

And yet, her appearance was flawless; her loose hair was in perfect order, never too messy or neat, her make-up seemed almost natural, as if she was Asagiri come to life, and she moved about so easily you would've thought she wore a kimono every day.

I can barely stand a yukata.

Such was the power of the professional cosplayer, I thought to myself. It was certainly a tough act to follow.

After work, I was forced to abandon my hopes of sitting down with Mio and talking about cosplaying, thanks to a message I received from my loving, yet terribly scatterbrained sister:

**To: Rin**

**From: Onee-chama!** (When did she do that?)

**I think I'm on a date. Completely forgot about dinner, but there's orange and banana truffles in the fridge. Wish me luck!**

Of course, when I have a noble notion, something always comes up. But wait, when did Miku...

Ah, I had to hurry! Trust Miku to remember dessert, but completely forget about the main course! Thank God Len was a model student and therefore, participated in clubs and all those hassling after-school activities.

Stripping and dressing quickly enough, I waved a hurried goodbye to everyone at the Carrot Cake and raced homewards.

I almost felt like crying in relief to see my home empty and dark. Wow, taken out of context that could give off plenty of wrong messages.

I threw my bag on the sofa, not bothering to change, before checking what I had to work with tonight. There were a few ingredients left over from the chicken corden blue I attempted yesterday (a success, I'm happy to report), and the truffles were there as promised.

It wasn't so bad, so I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

~.~

And just when I was about to congratulate myself on a crisis avoided, Len just had to faint.

At first, I stood there, hoping he wouldn't. Then, there was a thud when his head hit the floor and I went into panic mode.

"Ah, ah, ah," I started squeaking, too overwhelmed to even produce a coherent sentence. I sat down beside Len and checked his vitals.

He was breathing fine, and his heartbeat sounded right. But his complexion was pale, too pale, and his hands and feet were cold.

Don't tell me...

Len has anaemia?!

Man, this is a manga-like twist.

Miku had a bad case of anaemia last year, so I know a bit about it.

I knew people with anaemia need iron, because of low blood pressure which can cause them to be dizzy or weak or plain faint like Len. I've cooked some spinach so we've got that covered.

He could choke if I tried feeding it to him in his sleep, so my brain began listing facts about fainting (or syncope, in medical terms).

OK, legs needed to be lifted up. I stacked a few pillows under both his feet, to make it stable. Really, strange position to see Len in.

He was facing upwards, nothing to do there. Let's see, I have to remove any restrictive clothing so that he can breathe properly...

...

?!

Kami-sama, do you want Lola-sensei to be proven RiGHT?!

I inhaled. For Len, for Len, for Len, I repeated in my head, as I reached for his shirt-

I CAN'T DO THIS!

Calm down, Rin, calm down.

No, no, I couldn't, not alone. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

By the stairs, we have a kind of family closet where we keep special outfits; childhood costumes, Halloween get-up that can fit anybody in our house, and plain white shirts that Mama is _very _particular about. Nobody touches those and they're even kept in plastic.

However, that wasn't what I needed.

At the end of the rack, a sleeveless butler-like vest covered what was obviously a bunny costume. There was even a pocket-watch in the right pocket and a pair of those spectacles-on-a-chain in the left.

Yes, when I panicked, I dressed up as the Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. It was weird, but it calmed me down.

I adjusted the spectacles on my nose as I walked over to Len. He was still sleeping, thankfully.

As gently as I could, I lifted up his shirt. He wasn't wearing a belt, so no work for me there either. Although it was hard resisting the soft, perfect skin that lay under the fabric.

Maybe Lola-sensei's worries weren't so baseless after all.

I sighed, and contented myself with his head on my lap. That's when Len opened his eyes.

Instantly, I stiffened and froze, like prey about to be captured. Len's gaze was drowsy and he blinked a couple of times for good measure. Please, let him think this was a dream, please-

"A dream?" He was staring at me, but he still seemed sleepy.

"Yes, master?" I squeaked. I squeaked a lot when I can't think straight.

"A dream, a dream," he nodded to himself sleepily. "It's weirder than usual though." He brushed his hand against my cheek. "But Rin-chan looks cute anyway."

WTF?! Chan?! Cute?! And USUAL?! He's dreamt about me BEFORE?!

Heat rose to my cheeks, and Len chuckled. "Kawaii," he whispered. "Closer, Rin-chan."

On one hand, he has accepted completely this was a dream. On the other, he seemed to be, how-did-I-put-it, bolder? As if his inner Wolf has been awakened.

Well, all men are wolves, so maybe it woke up a looong time ago.

All the same, I maintained the facade and bent down. In a heartbeat, I felt something soft against my lips.

LENWASKISSINGME!

At that point, my brain stopped functioning. I think a screw may have popped out somewhere, like in a manga.

It lasted for a few minutes, and there was a little tongue. It wasn't Len's first time kissing.

When we broke apart, he was smiling, but it seemed as though he was crying. It hurt to look at.

"You've probably kissed a lot of guys before," he said quietly. "But I wanted to be one of them at least."

His gaze darted to my face and he stared straight into my eyes. I nearly gasped; it was an intense stare.

Len stroked my cheek again, and then his hand wandered to my mouth. He traced the shape of my lips and sighed.

"Did you know, Rin?" His voice was so soft I barely heard him. "I love you. I love you. I love you so much, I wish..."

He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry for what I said the other day, I was just jealous. You looked so cute..."

He trailed off, which made me realize he had fallen asleep. Carefully, I lifted his head and placed it on a pillow. Len did not stir.

I crouched over him, taking in that shota face. There were dark circles under his eyes that I hadn't noticed before and even unconscious, there was a hint of melancholy in his expression.

"You're wrong, Len," I breathed. "That was my first kiss."

In my first year of middle school, I did something horrible. It's not on my records, but Lola-sensei remembered it and so did I.

Incest was just as bad; and my records might suffer even more if they found out about that incident two years ago.

But I was already in trouble, long before I myself realized it. I leaned down and kissed Len's forehead. A kiss for a kiss.

A heart for a heart.

**I was in love with my twin brother.**

* * *

><p><strong>*Len's fainting episode is based on my personal experience with a friend. She claims it to be low blood pressure, but someone corrected her and said it was anaemia. I'm not sure who's right.<strong>

**CREDITS!**

**For favoriting/subscribing: Shriekmon, leggings master, & lizzieRLK!**

**REVIEWS!**

**wisarute7: Gomen, Gomen. I've been so busy lately my head's spinning. This year I'm graduating and finally getting my license, and I'm taking a huge examination that will determine my future, blah, blah, blah. I think I'll try to update at least once a month so that people won't get too you enjoyed this!**

**3 Rin x Len 3: I love it when my readers guess, because it gives me inspiration and a good perspective on how the readers perceive the story. No, wrong answers don't exist in my universe, except during tests.**

** Len's secret, Len's secret, do you want to know? If you do, please review!**


	7. 5th Stage: Acceptance

**Alright, I'll be updating all my stories within the month. For further information, please visit my profile page.**

**Disclaimer: She does not own Vocaloid or any of its products.**

**Hope you like it!**

* * *

><p><em>The wind tousled her hair, as she stepped out of the bustling airport, almost as if welcoming her home. She adjusted her sunglasses, smiling at the late-spring sun.<em>

_"I wonder how my Otouto is doing?"_

* * *

><p><strong>Len<strong>

"Atchoo!" I sneezed, before rubbing my nose. Most likely, I looked super-shota, judging by the sparkle in Rin's eyes. I glared at her grumpily; sneezes irritated me. "What?"

She did not reply. Instead, her eyes sparkling almost hypnotically, she rubbed both my cheeks. "Kawaii," she cooed, oblivious to everything else.

A hot blush flared across my cheeks before I could stop it. "D-don't, Rin," I stuttered, a mixture of embarrassment and shyness swirling in my stomach. Shyness, due to the touch of her skin on mine; it made me feel nervous and breathless and hopeful at the same time.

Rin wasn't the least bit ashamed. Her gaze grew gentle as she looked at me, shocking me completely. I had seen her laugh, I had seen her cry. I had seen her get mad, I had seen her bubble with joy. But this, this was a different thing completely. My breath hitched as I entertained the impossible possibility.

I had only seen that expression once before: when I caught myself staring at Rin through a mirror. My heart was in my throat, blocking any speech, any words to stop this sensation.

_The whole class is probably watching, _the thought popped into my head. On reflex, I pushed away her hands, turning my face away from hers.

"I told you to stop it," I mumbled, forcing my nerve-wracked body to calm down. However, it wouldn't. It _couldn't_, not after that look she had given me. Hope fluttered in my chest, but like a drop of water in scorching heat, it merely served to prolong the pain.

"Gomen," Rin said, sounding empty.

I carefully peeked at her. She was unwrapping her bento, her face indifferent. I had to wonder if I had just imagined that _look _she had worn moments ago. My heart throbbed. If it was a delusion, it was certainly a bittersweet one.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked, jolting me from my pondering.

"Oh, y-yeah," I laughed awkwardly, taking out my own bento. Rin had prepared it and wrapped it in a checkered handkerchief. My cheeks were on fire, as I considered that fact. Why was one simple bento affecting me so much?

"Len, I know my cooking's good, but it'll rot away if you just stare at it." Rin stared at me in curious amusement. That struck me as odd. Normally, she would be as embarrassed as I was after what had transpired. Yet, she acted as if the whole thing had not bothered her in the least.

"Sorry," I replied, taking out my chopsticks. Maybe I was still slightly jittery, for my utensils dropped from my hand suddenly, landing on the floor with a 'clack'. I bent to pick it up, and found my hand touching another. Rin too was about to pick them up.

"Ah..." Before I could utter anything coherent, she snatched the chopsticks and wiped them with her handkerchief.

"All clean," she said, handing them back to me. I suppose my jaw was hanging open at that point because she closed it for me. She gave me an inquiring smile. "What's with you, Len?"

What's with you? I wanted to ask. There had been two awkward moments in a row between us but she had brushed it off like it was nothing. Rin would have blushed, or pushed me, or something. She would have responded in the way I wanted her to: denying any romantic feelings she held for me.

Despite how it hurt both of us, it would be for the best. Despite my selfish desire for her heart, deep down, I wanted Rin to fight against me as well. I would hurt her. I had already hurt her, and I doubted I would stop anytime soon.

If she didn't fight back, then she would be in more pain. At least, that's what I thought.

"Rin, Len."

I looked up, to see her gazing fondly at the egg held between her chopsticks. I frowned. "What did you say?"

"No, I was just thinking. Our names sound really similar, don't you think? It's nice."

I should have exploded and marched out of there. Or I should have dismissed her comment as just another trivial statement. I cursed Iroha for not being there, for choosing today to be be the one day she was absent.

I couldn't bring myself to do anything, save agree with her. "It does sound nice."

Then, that bright azure was on me, that beautiful bold color that could also be fragile and broken at times. And there was that gentle look again. My heart surged and I felt breathless. That impossible possibility earlier, it didn't seem quite as impossible.

Rin grinned, breaking the spell, and waved her chopstick about. "Now, open wide, Len. You're taking so long to eat. It's faster if I feed you."

"What?!" I practically trilled. I turned scarlet once more.

"Just kidding," Rin giggled, popping the egg into her mouth. "But seriously, you're taking forever."

Without thinking, I pinched her nose.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, appearing taken aback.

I rubbed her nose. "We're even now," I announced, then we both began to laugh. In that little corner of the classroom, away from everyone and everything, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to be this relaxed.

I loved that smile hidden beneath her ice. I loved that free spirit that soared like a bird in the sky. I loved every inch of her, every bit of her. I craved to comfort the loneliness and trauma she had been facing alone all this time, I would sell my soul if it meant her happiness.

Yes, I was ready to give up everything I had for Hatsune Rin's sake at a moment's notice. But, the real question I had to honestly ask was:

**Was I ready for her love?**

* * *

><p><strong>Rin<strong>

According to the grieving process, there were five stages one had to go through after experiencing a loss. My love for Len occurred in a remarkably similar pattern:

**1. Denial**

_No, I don't love him. He's my brother! We're just faking this girlfriend-boyfriend thing so that we can become closer as siblings. OK, it's a little awkward, but that's because we've been apart for so long. For the love of Kami-sama, we share the same bed! How could I fall asleep at night if I was love with Len?_

**2. Anger**

_WHY?! Why can't I have him? It's the first time anyone's really cared for me more than just family! Why can't I be loved by him? Why can't I be with him? What did I do that was so wrong?! Why do you have to take everything from me?!_

**3. Bargaining**

_Alright, there is something, but it isn't necessarily romantic. It can become sibling affection. If I work hard enough and pretend, it really will become sibling affection. If I suppress my feelings, they'll just fade away, right? I just have to control it, control it, control it._

How foolish, I chided my past self, so desperate not to let her feelings get the best of her. She had been foolish, _I _had been foolish to think this was something I could control. From the second I had squeezed his hand when he pulled me across the road, or perhaps from the second I had heard him reject his fan club because of me, I knew it wouldn't be hard to fall for him.

As it turned out, I was right. The hard part was _not _falling for him.

**4. Depression**

_I can't believe how disgusting I am. Akita, all of them, they're right. I am the most horrendous, despicable human being on the planet. I let Len kiss me! And I kissed him back! On the forehead, but still. Kami-sama, I just want to crawl into a hole and die._

The final stage was acceptance, which had been easy once the depression was over. Surprisingly, the entire thing had happened in just a month. Heartbreak, pain, anger, everything had taken such little time to settle, I had to wonder if I had simply been denying the inevitable.

After I accepted my feelings, I had felt much, much calmer. As if a raging storm had finally been quelled. It wasn't like I had any intentions of pursuing a relationship with him, but rejecting everything I felt wasn't so smart either.

I had fallen in love too deeply with Len to be saved anymore. I had betrayed Mama Hatsune's trust in every sense.

Yet a part of me didn't care. It was euphoric to have your feelings reciprocated, no matter the circumstances. I was just glad I could be with Len, that I could spend every day with him.

True, this love didn't have much of a future. One day, I would have to face the music. But for now, I didn't need to act tsundere, constantly hiding my emotions under a mask of embarrassment. I could be honest, and I could selfishly take little happinesses from that.

I could never tell Len this, but I didn't think I would have to. It wouldn't be hard for him to tell. Like a mirror, the pain I felt was also reflected in him. Therefore, the weight I silently held in my chest would easily, if not instantly, be recognized for what it was.

It was the weight of that annoying emotion people called 'Ai'*.

~.~

"Pick up, Neko," I muttered into my phone, but like the other 262 times I had attempted, the call never connected. I snapped it shut, annoyed.

Where on earth was she? It wasn't like Iroha to skip school without at least sending me a text. And to top it off, she hadn't been answering any of my calls, emails or messages. I had even gone to the trouble of opening my long-abandoned Facebook account just to see if she was online!

(Which got me side-tracked. There were so many cool pages on FB I had to see that I ended up wasting two hours on it.)

I exhaled and flopped back on my pillows. I was home alone right now, bored out of my skull. Miku had decided to be reliable today, by bringing home some sushi from my favorite restaurant. I suspected her boyfriend, this 'Kaito' I had been hearing about, would be present, and that the sushi itself was a form of bribery to get me to like him.

If what Len said was true, I also suspected Kaito would either be a really good liar, or as dense as Miku.

Crap, I started thinking about him again. I buried my face in my plushie, trying to erase the blush rising as a result of an image that had popped in my head: my first kiss, which Len had taken a few nights back. I touched my lips, recalling how soft his was.

I admit, I have imagined myself kissing him, back when I fangirled his shotaness. In my fantasies though, it was more me kissing him, rather than vice versa. And I might have also imagined him squealing and blushing a little more.

But honestly, I thought I liked his kiss, his real kiss better. It was tender with a hint of longing, and just so full of his feelings.

"Dammit, Len..." I said under my breath, ignoring the small voice that was wishing for another kiss.

If only Neko hadn't gone MIA (missing-in-action) on me, I could have someone to talk to. But then again, even when she was there, Iroha had been acting weird lately. Not weird, fangirl otaku weird, that was considered normal. Sad, depressed, gloomy weird.

When I asked her about, she just smiled mysteriously.

Iroha didn't do that if she had a secret she could tell me. Whatever this was, this secret was on par with my secret of having a twin, before it was exposed anyway. It was serious. It was probably messy. My best friend was hurting.

Despite these facts, Iroha's words rang in my head:

**Some secrets aren't meant to be told.**

This could be one of them, and it was obvious they had a devastating effect on Iroha. No matter how much my curiosity screamed to be sated, I had to control myself and respect her.

Maybe she would tell me, maybe not. I had to accept that. _I had to..._

My phone beeped before I could continue my inner banshee-like monologue. I scrambled to check it, only to be severely disappointed. It wasn't Neko, or Len, or even Lola-sensei (let's talk about that one later).

It was the most anti-climatic person of all my contacts: Hatsune Miku, my baka 'Onee-chama'.

**To: Imouto-chan! **(Now when did she do this?)

**From: Miku-san **(I changed it just to spite her. I'm so mean. ^_^)

**I asked Kaito-kun to drop off some ****dry-cleaning. I'll be home soon with the sushi. I picked up some tangerine and banana jellies too.**

For a moment, I strangely felt like a kid about to be introduced to her mom's boyfriend, the way Miku wrote this text. Astonishingly, my airhead sister has matured, seeing as she was smart enough to schedule an impromptu meeting with her new man, and include a bribe for being nice to him.

Then, my eyes scrolled down to the bottom of the screen, and I screeched. On cue, the doorbell rang. Immediately, I was on my feet, racing at break-neck speed down the steps towards the door.

_Please don't let him find out, please don't let him find out, _I wailed in my head.

With a ferocity that would have scared the life out of my sister, I yanked the door open, to not one, but two misfortunes.

Oh, so this was Kaito. He was one of Len's friends that had joined us on our first date, the blue-haired Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha fan. He hadn't given off a bad vibe when we first met, and I had a feeling my second notion about him had been spot on: he was just as dense as Miku.

That wasn't the issue though, it was what he was holding.

The 'dry-cleaning' Miku had asked him to pick up? One of them was my Alice in Wonderland Rabbit costume, which she had thought to mention in the _last _line of the text. My costume was currently draped across Kaito's arms for all to see, including the other two people standing at the doorway.

Can you guess who they were? No? It's fine, I could only guess one of them anyway.

To my left was Len, who I wasn't sure had made the connection between me and the Rabbit. I prayed he hadn't. Behind him was a, woman?

She looked older than Kaito, so I supposed that made her an adult. Her hair was a waterfall of golden curls as shiny as Len's and she had a curvaceous figure. She wore a white patterned one-piece and matching hat, her eyes concealed by her huge sunglasses. There was something about her too that made me think of an Ojou-sama.

"L-Lily-san?" Kaito managed to squeak, looking terrified. That made me slightly nervous. She scared Kaito? Who was she?

She slinked past Len, closing the distance between us, then pulled down her sunglasses to reveal the prettiest blue I had ever seen. It was gorgeous, the color of sparkling seas full of dolphins.

"Hatsune Rin, born Kagamine Rin." Her voice was feminine yet mature, commanding in its tone. "Birthday, 27th December, which makes you a Capricorn. Prefers orange-type products, ranging from tangerine to citrus, be it shampoo, lotion or desserts. Known as the Arctic Wolf on the streets, and you seem to have a notorious reputation in the next town."

I stared at her, my mouth agape. How_ did she know that?_

"Lilynee," Len said, his voice tense.

"I'm simply assessing her, Len-kun," she replied, unaffected. Then, she turned back to me. "And so far, the results have been a complete disappointment."

"Huh?" I blurted.

Lily fixed me with an ice-cold gaze. "You have no outstanding achievements or qualities, save your talent for scuffling. The best way to describe you in one word, Hatsune Rin-san, is that you're a delinquent."

Let me ask, who wouldn't be majorly pissed when someone insulted you like that on your front door? Especially in such a condescending frozen way.

"And the best way to describe you in one word, spoilt Ojou-sama, would be rude. Don't you have the decency to introduce yourself?" _Bitch, _I added silently, mentally clamping down on my bubbling rage.

"Rude? I assure you I am only carrying out my duty."

I folded my arms. "And what's that?"

"Seeing whether or not you are a fit sister to Len-kun, and obviously a delinquent is not!"

"I'm not a delinquent!" I hissed.

That aquamarine was now a sea of sharks and stinging jellyfish. "Really? Prove it."

"Do you think a delinquent would be able to get into Crown Academy?" I wanted to slap myself. That had been a secret! More on that later.

"With what Lilith-san makes, I'm sure bribing your way in would be a simple task."

That was most definitely the straw that broke the camel's back. You could insult me, but you didn't insult my family. Without thinking, I swung my fist, aiming for her stomach, and maybe her face afterwards.

"Rin!" Len shouted, tackling me to the floor. A shriek got stuck in my throat. Damn, damn, _damn_! Len was on top of **_me_**! The scent of his banana soap wafted into my nose, further cementing how close we were at that moment.

Thankfully (I think), Lily interrupted any hentai thoughts about to rush through my mind.

"Good move, Len-kun, but not you, Hatsune Rin." She had abandoned the -san, I noticed. "This concludes my report."

"Stop it, Lilynee!" Len yelled, turning his head to face her. He didn't move from his position, and I realized he was shielding me from Lily.

"Forgive me, Len, but when our parents aren't here, as your sister, I'm your guardian. I have control over your decisions."

"Why?" I couldn't see his face but Len sounded frustrated. "Our family doesn't need me anymore, not with our mother and father gone!"

I frowned. What did he mean by that? Their family, needed him?

"That's where you're mistaken. Everyone's been searching for you, and it's about time you came back."

"What are you talking about?" I said, confused and slightly fearful.

"Although you are tied by blood, you are an unfit sister for Len, Hatsune Rin," she stated in a bland voice that hit me like a good knock-out punch. "Therefore, I'm taking him with me. By next week, you'll be moving out of here for good, Len-kun."

With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared through the door.

The remainder gazed on in shock silence, as I tried to process everything Lily had said. Who was looking for Len? What did they want from him? Was Lily really going to take him away?

I trembled as I pictured that, Len out of my life forever. But Lily was right, whoever she was. Wasn't I an unfit sister? Having this disgusting love for him, wanting him to kiss me and love me too?

"Everyone?" a shy, familiar voice piped up. I looked up to see Miku, holding some bags. "I brought dinner."

I wasn't sure why, but then I started crying. Full-out bawling, fat teardrops rolling down my face. I was scared and anxious and confused, about Len, Iroha, my proposed future at Crown Academy, just about everything in short.

I felt so alone and terrified, drifting by myself towards unchartered territory. I didn't know what to do anymore!

Out of the blue, I felt warm, strong arms embrace me. Len's breath tickled my ear, "I'm right here, Rin. It's going to be OK, it's going to be OK."

The effect was instantaneous; my entire body calmed down at his touch. I wrapped my arms around him too, basking in the comfort he gave me. _I love you, Len,_ I said silently. I loved him so much, and I was glad I did.

I lifted my face closer to his ear, and whispered a wish that might never come true, "I want you to stay with me."

In return, he told me a quiet kind lie,

**"I will."**

But lies always stay lies, they can never become the truth. As I buried my head in his chest, I lied to myself too, that Len would always be by my side.

* * *

><p><strong>*In Japanese culture, there are three ways to say I love you:<strong>

**Daisuki (For the person you like)**

**Aishiteru (For the person you want to spend the rest of your life with)**

**Koishiteru (For the person you want to be with forever)**

**Rin refers to her love as Ai, because she wants to spend the rest the rest of her life with Len. ^_^**

**CREDITS!:**

**For favoriting/following: Nikoru-chi, ChaoChao42, kimchi-tan, adrisu kagamine, Ash da unicorn, Kireina Yume & xXMissyKix!**

**REVIEWS!: **

**Tumbleweed: I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Gomen, but you'll have to wait a little longer to find out Len's secret. Wait, somebody dressed up as a rabbit to calm down in Fruits Basket? 0_0**

**kimchi-tan: That's a relief. I was worried my writing was going downhill. What is Len's secret? Well, it's a secret, of course! ^.^**

**Kireina Yume: I'm sorry I took so long. Are you still alive? NO! SHE'S DIED OF FANGIRLING! XP**


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